Captives
by DiNUTZzo
Summary: Tony and Ziva are captured and tortured, will Gibbs be able to save them in time? My first story be nice!
1. Chapter 1

Anthony DiNozzo walked into the bull pen, late a usual. He sat down at his desk and booted up his computer.

He got a slight tingle in her neck and realised that he was being watched, he glanced up quickly and saw Ziva staring at him, he raised a quizzical eyebrow and she quickly turned her attention back to her computer screen. It may have been his imagination but he could have sworn that he saw her blush. His train of thought though was cut quickly off by the arrival of his team leader Gibbs.

"Gear up! Gotta dead marine!" Gibbs didn't even stop he just kept walking right into the already awaiting lift.

How does he do that? Tony grabbed his rucksack and his SIG and ran after the rest of his team mates who were already waiting for him in the lift.

Usually a trip to the docks would of taken 40 minutes but with Gibbs' crazy driving style they made it there in 25, a new record.

When Tony stepped out of the van he saw a marine in uniform laying dead in a pool of blood. He was surrounded by rusting machinery and pools of oil, Although nothing seemed out of place – apart from the dead marine. Tony felt there was something not right, something 'hinky' as their forensic scientist Abby might have put it. Tony glanced around.

"DiNozzo crime scene photo's!" Gibbs bark broke the morning air.

For the next couple of hours the team snapped and swept the scene checking for anything that could have been out of place. Finding nothing Ducky and Palmer placed the body on a gurney and drove the body back to NCIS headquarters for a complete autopsy.

Back in the bull pen Tony and Ziva stood staring at the plasma screen in front of them, examining yet again the evidence before them. McGee was down in Abby's lab helping her with the chemical reports.

"Here I give you private first class Owe Geller who didn't report for duty 2 days ago. Private Geller has no immediate family and lives alone at 27 park road." Tony said clicking at the screen for the next slide. " According to Ducky he recivied multiple stab wounds to the upper torso before bleeding out. Aproximate time of death is 0200 hours yesterday."

Tony checked his watch and sighed, it was almost 11:30pm. Where did the day go?

"Well there goes my evening." Tony said glumly

"Why did you have plans?" Ziva enquired

"Unless you call sitting at home alone watching _Bourne Ultimatum_ for the hundredth time a plan then no, no I didn't." Again this could have been his imagination but after he said this he could of sworn that he saw a smile flash across her lips.

But again with Gibbs impeccable timing he walked in.

"Go on home, get some rest just be here nice and early tomorrow, we have got as much done as we can in one evening."

Tony and Ziva packed up there bags and headed down towards the parking lot. Tony glanced over and saw Ziva sat behind the wheel of her mini cooper. She tried the engine and it whined in protest, she tried again but got the same response. She slammed his fists down against the steering wheel in frustration.

"You okay there Zee-Vah?" Tony said stretching her name out like he always did.

" Do I look okay Ton-Nee?!" She snapped back trying to stretch his name out like he had done to her.

"Car trouble?" He asked

"Oh well I can see why you became a trained investigator…" She replied her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Well I was going to offer you a lift back to your apartment in my car but If that is how you are gonna be…." He trailed off and started walking towards his Mustang.

"Tony…..,"She muttered in defeat, she spun around and flashed her a 1000 watt grin.

"Yeah Zee-Vah!"

She took in a deep breath and said "Can I take you down on your offer?"

"I think you meant 'take me up on my offer', but anyhow….sure."

This was not what she was expecting, she thought he was going to make some demoralising comment or make her beg for a lift. Feeling suspicious Ziva followed Tony to her car.

As Ziva stepped into the Mustang Tony started the engine and with a roar they headed off towards the main gate. Tony slowed down at the gate and rolled down his side window. He looked at the guard.

"So where's Bob today?" Tony casually asked

"His daughter is sick" The guard replied

With this Tony defiantly knew something was up and was about to slam on the gas. Bob didn't have a daughter he had a son who had unfortunately died a year ago.

Before Tony could react though the guard had raised his arm and Tony could see he was holding some sort of air powered medical gun. The guard smirked and fired at Tony. Tony felt something pierce his neck, he lifted his hand up…..a syringe. The process was repeated with Ziva.

Tony felt the drug enter his system he immediately became more drowsy and he couldn't lift his arms. Everything was just so heavy, with a huge effort he managed to twist his neck to see Ziva and then everything went black.


	2. Unfamiliar Surroundings

Chapter Two.

Ziva's eyes fluttered open, she was in a dark room, a smell of mould and oil stuck to the air. It was dimly lit and the only light was supplied by a small barred vent set near the ceiling. It was only now Ziva began to notice her condition. She was strapped to a chair not unlike the one in the terrorist camp in Somalia.

Her hands and feet were bound with thick leather straps that offered no give. Ziva's eyelids still felt heavy as a result of the drug but she had to stay awake. She tried to remember the events that brought her to be here.

Her car wouldn't start, so she had been offered a lift by Tony, she had accepted when they reached the main gate the guard had fired a syringe at her neck. Ziva looked desperately around her trying to catch a glance of Tony.

It was now that the heavy steel door swung open. A man walked in, he was olive skinned and had swept back dark hair which matched his brown eyes perfectly. He wore a expensive looking cream suit with tan shoes.

"Who are you?" She questioned angrily, defiance glinting in her eyes.

The man made a tutting noise before walking over to Ziva, he stroked her forehead.

"Now Miss David I will be the one answering the questions….." He said, his voice was soft but there was an unmistakable cruel edge to it.

"Tony," She gasped "Where is Tony?!" she demanded.

The man stood up and slapped her around the face.

"Perhaps you did not understand Miss David, but I am the one asking the questions!" He shouted in her face he then slapped her again, harder this time, on the other cheek. Ziva looked up both cheeks burning she stared defiantly at the man.

It was at this moment that the door swung open and a gagged and zip tied Anthony Dinozzo was pushed through the door. He landed heavily knocking the air out of him. Ziva could see his face was already a mess. Blood was seeping from his nose and he had a cracked lip, ugly bruises were already starting to appear.

"Tony…" Ziva couldn't stop the word escaping from her lips.

The man grabbed Tony by the collar and pushed him down onto the chair. Tony's eyes locked into Ziva's they were full of worry and confusion.

"What do you want with us?!" Tony demanded, just like Ziva he received a blow to the face.

"You are going to sit there and answer my questions and if you refuse to or give me the wrong answer – the other one will be punished." The man drew a Bowie knife from his belt. He held it up to the light admiring it, it glinted menacingly.

"Now Miss David tell me all you know about the joint NCIS and Mossad operation 'Indigo'.

Ziva remained silent, time seemed to slow down, anger was etched across the man's handsome face. He was someone who obviously found I hard to hide their emotions.

His grip around the knife tightned and his knuckles turned white, he took a step towards Tony. He brought the knife up and slashed it across his face leaving a bloodied gash from his right ear to the left corner of his mouth.

"Tony!" Ziva shouted she instantly regretted it, she quickly tried to hide her emotions again behind a steely mask.

"Now Miss David, I know you would not tell me what I desire if it were just you but what about your partner, are you willing to put him through pain?" As if to demonstrate a point he brought the butt of the knife cracking down onto Tony's skull. Sending him slumping forward.

"Let's try again shall we?" The man continued " Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?"

Ziva looked up at Tony her eyes filled with remorse, but she said nothing.

"Weren't you listening to my warning Miss David?" With this the man produced a cigar cutter from his suit pocket with a flourish. "Now we will try one final time and if you fail to answer me in 10 seconds Agent DiNozzo here will loose his finger."

"Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?" The man asked

Ziva just stared on.

"10…..9……8.." The man started his countdown.

Ziva now looked at Tony her eyes pleading, he gave her a nod trying to comfort her.

"7…..6…….5" The countdown continued the man brought the gigar cutter to Tony's pinky.

"4……3……2" Ziva's eyes glassed over she struggled to hold back the tears.

"1"

Tony's cry of agony ricocheted around the cell.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The man had left them alone in the room. Even in the gloom Ziva could see the severity of the action she had caused. Tony's entire little finger had been brutally cut off all that was there now was a mess of skin tissue and bone.

"Tony," Ziva croaked "Tony I am so sorry."

Tony looked up he could see Ziva staring at him with her large, brown doeful eyes. Even though his hand felt like there was a white hot poker being driven into it he replied.

"You have nothing to apologise for Zi." His voice, like hers was barely more than a whisper.

It was at this moment the heavy door swung open with a crash, the man strode in holding a Desert Eagle in his right hand.

"Raise your arms above your head" The man ordered Ziva. With a movement of his hands Ziva was no longer tied to the chair, yet her hands were still bound in front of her with thick leather bonds.

Tony saw a plan forming in her head, ways to fight off this unknown man and make their escape. Unfortunately Tony was not the only one who recognised this.

"I warn you not to try anything stupid Miss David." He pointed the handgun towards her head.

"Raise your hands above your head." The man ordered for the second time. Ziva stared onwards preparing for the beating she was surely going to receive for not complying with the man's orders.

Instead the man walked over to Tony who's eyes had not left Ziva's this entire time. The man grabbed Tony by the hair and painfully yanked his head backwards. It was only now that Tony silently left the man's gaze.

"Raise your hands above your head or I will shoot Agent DiNozzo here in the knee!" As if to prove the point the man rammed the Desert Eagle into Tony's right knee cap.

Unwillingly Ziva slowly raised her hands above her head.

"Good, now that wasn't so hard was it?" The man seemed to relax and his voice returned to a normal volume.

"Come in now!" The man shouted and two masked men entered, they walked over to Ziva and pushed her towards the corner of the cell, she offered no opposition. They then zip tied her hands above her head to a thick steel water pipe that ran across the ceiling.

"Now Miss David I hope we do not have to repeat what happened earlier…" The man set down the gun and brandished his knife again.

Using the knife and his own hands he ripped Tony's shirt off leaving his torso and back exposed. The man discarded the tattered shirt and it was dumped onto the floor.

"Aw crap that was Armani!" DiNozzo exclaimed

The man spun around and hit Tony with so much force Ziva could have sworn she heard Tony's jaw break.

"Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?!" The man all but screamed at Ziva

She just stared on.

In response the man brought the knife curving down into Tony's shoulder and he let out a cry of pain. Half the blade of the knife was now embedded in Tony's right shoulder blade. Blood was already pouring out from around the blade.

"Bastard.." He hissed.

"Now, now Mr DiNozzo…." The man sighed "Miss David what is the purpose of Operation Indigo?"

Ziva knew something horrible was going to happen to Tony if she didn't answer but still her lips remained sealed. All she could do was plead with her eyes and hope that what happened to Tony wouldn't put him through to much pain.

The man grabbed the hilt of the blade and twisted it. Tony let out a cry of pain before quickly biting his lip. It felt as if his back was being torn apart more blood poured out from the wound and Tony's muscles were screaming at him but Tony said nothing instead he just bit down on his lower lip until he felt blood.

The man grabbed the hilt of the knife and pulled it out, Tony's blood which now had no obstacle surged out of his shoulder.

The man turned towards the two men in the masks "Take him to the Doctor – have him stitched up, remember no meds." With this the two men grabbed Tony by each arm and carried him through the door.

Now the man was left alone in the cell with Ziva. He strode over to her and gently stroked her cheek, she tried to pull away but her bonds meant she was unable to.

_Please Gibbs! Please find us soon! _Ziva screamed in her head _Find us soon!_


	4. Realisation

**Hi guys! Okay so I know these Author notes are a tad pointless but I just wanted to thank everybody for adding me to their watch lists. This is my first story so I wasn't really sure how it would go but you have inspired by to continue.**

**Would you please review with possible ideas for ways this might go?**

**Okay so just a Big thanks to all those people who added me to there favourites or reviewed my work it was you guys who inspired me to get this update up so quickly.–THANKS!**

Chapter 4

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs strode into the bull pen with a fresh cup of coffee in his left hand and a case file in the other. Like all other days the ex-marine carried an air of confidence about him that meant people hurried to get out of his way.

McGee was already sat at his desk when the silver haired team leader strode in. He stole a glance to the two empty desks next to him. Where could Tony and Ziva be? Not wanting to worry to much McGee turned his attention back to his computer and tried to hack his way through yet another layer of encryption that was on the dead marines email account.

"Where are DiNozzo and David?" Gibbs barked at McGee

"Um…..I don't know boss…" Gibbs gave him 'the look' "but I will find them"

McGee then hurriedly dialled Tony's number, it went straight to voice mail, he tried his home phone – no answer. Starting to get a tad panicked. He quickly pressed in Ziva's cell number, just like Tony's it went straight to voice mail. Rule #3 'Never be unreachable'. And right now that is what both of them were.

"Um Boss?" McGee said trying to get Gibbs attention.

"What McGee?" Gibbs snapped

"I can't seem to get hold of either of them boss…"

"Well try again probie!" Gibbs all but snarled at the young agent.

It was only now that Gibbs heard a chirping noise coming from his pocket, he quickly dished out a cell phone and flicked the screen up, a new message – from DiNozzo.

"You better have a damn good excuse." Gibbs mumbled to himself.

As he opened the message McGee was surprised of the look of confusion that crossed his face.

_Check Email….._ the message read. Gibbs sat down at his desk looking confused, he fired up the computer and scrolled through the emails. None were from DiNozzo. His eye caught an email near the top which had no known sender, it had an attachment.

Gibbs quickly clicked on it and on the screen opened up three photographs. The first was of a drugged Tony and Ziva. There hands where bound, they appeared to be laying on a steel floor with ridges. Must be in the back of a van. The seconds was of Ziva strapped to a chair in some kind of cell, she was out of it, her eyes were still lolling in the back of her sockets.

The third and final image was of Tony who was bleeding profusely from a wound from a wound in his shoulder. Gibbs looked at his senior agents face. It was twisted with anger and pain, and as Gibbs looked closer he could see that DiNozzo's little finger was missing.

Gibbs was the kind of man who kept his emotions in check – he was always very hard to read even to those close to him. But as he saw the images his fists curled up into balls and his face turned into a steely mask of anger and determination. McGee, who had watched this transformation in his boss was trying to figure out what was going on.

"Um….Boss?"

"What?!" Gibbs looked at the younger agent "McGee I need you to trace an email for me."

"Sure thing Boss" McGee replied, as McGee opened the email it was inevitable that he would see the images that had made his boss so furious. His mouth dropped open in surprise but McGee quickly composed himself and began furiously typing at his keyboard.

Gibbs glanced over at McGee whose brow was scrunched up in determination.

"Ya got it yet McGee?!" Gibbs was growing impatient wanting to make the son of a bitch that had done this to his agents pay.

"Um, no boss it is taking longer than expected the email has been bounced all over the world making it hard to trace, this is not some amateur Gibbs, this is a pro." McGee trailed off, the bull pen was silent apart from the furious sound of keys being punched.

"GOT IT!" McGee exclaimed, "A computer in an internet café on North Capitol Street!"

"Grab your gear!" The two agents hurriedly walked towards the elevator doors in a desperate quest for answers about what had happened to their fellow agents.

Gibbs barely waited until McGee was in the car before slamming on the gas and speeding towards the internet café where the email had been sent from. The Dodge weaved between the cars on the interstate cruising at about 40 mph over the legal speed limit.

It was just like any other day in the 'Sip & Surf' café in Washington D.C, that was in course until two armed federal agents burst through the door and moved over to an empty computer in the far corner of the café. Customers were stunned as they watched one of the agents move over to the computer and rip off a post it that was stuck to the screen.

_Bring me the Dossier for 'Operation Indigo' within 48 hours and you will see at least one of your agents alive…._

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs strolled out of the door and into the busling street, he had some serious questions for Director Vance.

**Okay so did you like it? So tell me some future ideas that this could go, and sorry for the really crappy internet café name!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay guys, like wow! I log on and I see that my email account is 'chock-a-block' with emails. Some of you guys are even putting me on author alert even though this is my first story ****. But you have inspired me to get this update up here nice and quick. I thought that this story would just crash and burn but it is you guys that have made this story come alive. I am only 14 and so I have not really tried doing any 'serious' writing before but I enjoy it and perhaps it is something I should be doing more of….. As always tell me what you think and enjoy!**

Chapter 5

Ziva tried to lift her head, but she gasped as she heard a cracking sound come from her ribs. Se was still strung up but she was alone now. Tony had not returned and in his absence the masked men had set upon her with baseball bats, not really to get her to talk, just to wear her down, make her feel beaten and self-pitiful.

Her torso felt like it was on fire! It hurt to breath, even the slightest movement sent daggers of pain shooting through her body.

The door swung open and Tony was kicked inside, he cried out in pain as he landed heavily on his injured shoulder. The door swung shut behind him with a heavy 'clang'. The sounds of bolts being slammed shut was the only sound that pierced the air.

They both stayed in there positions for a while, not wanting to be the one who broke the silence. But it was Ziva who broke the silence.

"Tony?" She gasped and bit her lip she did not realise how much it hurt to speak, it felt like every cell in her body was being ripped apart.

Hearing her gasp Tony desperately tried to struggle to his feet, his shoulder felt like it was on fire and the long slash that run down his face made smiling painful. Even so he cracked Ziva one of his million watt smiles, desperately trying to make her feel better.

It was only now that Ziva realised that Tony's hands were no longer bound. _They must have been untied when the doctor was working on him_ she thought. He took a step over to her and untied the leather bonds above her head, she instantly slumped and Tony caught her on his shoulder. She gasped and stood straight upright as if thousands of volts of electricity had been sent coursing through her body.

"Zi?" Tony's voice was full of concern, he held her by the shoulders and forced her to look up at him.

"It is nothing Tony" she whispered

He gently pushed her down against the concrete wall until they were both sat side by side.

Tony spun around so he was facing Ziva and slowly and carefully lifted up her T-shirt. H gasped at what he saw. Ziva's torso was covered in angry bruises and swollen lumps. Several lumps pointed out in painful ways, at least 4 of her ribs must be broken.

"Zi…" Tony's voice cracked as his hands softly ran over chest.

"Tony," she placed a hand on his cheek "It is nothing."

They both just sat there for a while, staring into each others eyes, neither of them wanting to face the harsh reality that they found themselves in.

"Let me see your shoulder," Ziva muttered.

"Nothing to see Ziva." At this moment Tony did what he always did at the end of a sentence when he was trying to let a topic slide, he shrugged his shoulders. Of course this was a very bad idea and he let out a gasp of pain.

"Tony," Ziva said more firmly this time "Let me see your shoulder."

Tony nodded once and spun around so now his back was facing Ziva, she carefully lifted up his shirt her hands brushing against his back. Ziva saw the wound on Tony's shoulder. It was red and inflamed. The Doctor had obviously tried to stitch it up but it had been done very unprofessionally and it left the wound open. Ziva ran her fingers along the wound, it must have been 5 inches long and Ziva was very carefully not to let her fingers even brush it in a fear it could cause Tony any more pan that necessary.

"My god Tony I am so sorry!" She exclaimed, she could feel tears forming in her eyes but she furiously blinked them back thankful that Tony had his back to her.

"You have nothing to apologise for Zi," Tony said turning around now so that he could look her in the eyes.

"Yes I do!" She exclaimed "You have lost a finger you have a horrific wound in your shoulder and a long gash across your face!" As she said this her fingers danced along the mark on his face. After she had finished her outburst she hung her head in shame.

Tony carefully with both hands cupped Ziva's cheeks and raised her head so she could look into his emerald eyes.

"You have nothing to apologise for Zi, I entered this job knowing the risks just like you, and if it means that I am put through pain rather than you I would willingly allow that man to cut off all my fingers." She nodded slowly. "Now you get some sleep Zi."

After saying this Tony spun around so Ziva could rest her head against his shoulder. He raised his hand to her head and gently stroked her hair. After a couple of minutes he began to sing softly the children's song that Abby and McGee had discovered in Mossads files, which had ultimately led them to Ziva in Somalia. After 10 minutes he felt her drift to sleep on his chest. He kept humming the song to himself.

_Find us soon Gibbs, please find us soon!_


	6. Gibbs Confronts Vance

**Fraid you are just going to have to live with a short chapter this time before I pop off to sleep. Promise my next update will be a longer one – really just need this chapter to set the next scene up, but please all reviews are welcome! (no matter how crappy the chapter is!)**

Chapter 6

The Director of NCIS Leon Vance, leaned back into his leather chair chewing on a toothpick feeling rather contented with himself as he stared out of his window and across the D.C skyline.

He was unwillingly awoken from his bliss by the sound of a heavy, steel fire door being slammed open. Before he swung around on his chair he already knew who awaited impatiently in his office. Only one of his agents would burst in here with no respect for his personal privacy or have no common courtesy to knock.

"Ah Gibbs," The Director started already in mid swing "And what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Tell me all you know about 'Operation Indigo" Gibbs snapped pressing his knuckles down onto the desk leaning in against the Director. But Leon was not one to be easily imposed and he just returned Gibbs' icy glare.

"Never heard of it" Vance sad shrugging his shoulders.

"Damn you Vance!" Gibbs all but screamed at the Director "I have two of my agents missing and being tortured all about an operation they probably know nothing about!"

Vance smirked and chewed his toothpick in the corner of his mouth, testing Gibbs, teasing him. But this time he had seriously underestimated Gibbs' temper and before he knew it the Director was being held up against the wall by the scruff of his suit before he could even blink.

"Tell. Me. Everything. About. Operation. Indigo!" Gibbs slammed Vance's body against the wall every time he said a word, emphasising the point

"Okay, okay!" Vance wheezed, Gibbs' vice like grip did not slacken "Just put me down!" He exclaimed.

Gibbs' hand loosened and the Director dropped to the floor rubbing his sore neck.

"Everything you need is that file over there" He pointed to a file which was marked with red tape."

Gibbs picked up the file and walked out of the room as he read the words _Top Secret_ across the top. Gibbs almost chucked to himself, he found himself almost wanting to make a movie quote, _damn you DiNozzo, Damn You! _ Gibbs strolled out of the office past a shocked looking assistant who must of heard the whole affair.

Gibbs strolled down the steps towards the bull pen as he heard Vances door slam shut behind him

_Yup still got it _ He chuckled to himself again _Still Got It!_

**OKAY! Don't be afraid to tell me how bad that really was – yes even I know that was awful, very unlike Gibbs, but I needed Vance to be scared of him – all will be revealed. Anyhow any ideas about what the operation actually might be? I haven't really come to that yet….**

**AND BY THE NEXT CHAPTER WE WILL KNOW WHO THE NEXT PRIME MINSTER OF BRITAIN WILL BE! *gasp***


	7. Blue Flame

**Okay guys once again you have managed to blow me away with your reviews! Thank you all so much for contributing! I have been trying to please everyone with this story – pain, torture, tiva, Vance getting hurt, perhaps McAbby is you guys desire it!**

**Oh and I remembered that you are meant to include some kind of disclaimer so here I go: I don't own NCIS!**

**Chapter 7**

Tony had not slept at all last night but just having Ziva resting peacefully on his shoulder had calmed him. Even so there peaceful silence had been rudely interrupted by the arrival of their keeper.

"Tie them to the chairs!" The man snarled.

Two masked men hurried in and using zip ties and leather straps they quickly tied the pair to two chairs. Tony and Ziva put up no resistance after glancing at the two sub-machine guns hanging loosely around their necks.

Tony and Ziva remained silent, just gazing into one another's eyes.

"Miss David, what is the purpose of 'Operation Indigo'?" The man questioned. Ziva remained silent, her eyes never leaving Tony's. "deep down I was kind of hoping you would say nothing," the man continued "that way I can have some fun…" The man trailed off and walked over to a duffel bag that he had brought in with him.

He quickly unzipped the bag and brought out a blue cylinder with a nozzle at the end – a blow torch.

While the man's back was turned to the pair Ziva gave Tony a worried, pleading look. He just nodded and cracked her, her favourite million watt smile.

The man spun around holding the blow torch in his right hand.

"Miss David, tell me what is the purpose of 'Operation Indigo'." The man said calmly, not letting his frustration become evident.

Ziva remained quiet and looked down at her feet for she knew with one look at Tony's innocent face she would cave in and tell the man all he desired to know.

The man started up the blow torch a blue flame shot out of the end.

"Miss David what is the purpose of 'Operation Indigo'?" The man asked, he couldn't help a smile creep on to his lips.

Ziva said nothing, but she looked up and gazed into her partners green eyes. He gave her a sharp nod.

"Miss David, for the final time, what is the purpose of 'Operation Indigo'?" No answer

The man held the flame up against Tony's forearm. He screamed and writhed in pain. Ziva could smell burning meat. It clogged all of her senses. She watched as lumps of semi – burned flesh dropped from Tony's arm. The nerves writhed and twisted. Tony desperately pulled at his bonds. Tony tried everything to pull away from the flame. The man moved his arm and the blow torch began steadily creeping up Tony's arm towards his chest.

Ziva could see the devastation the torch had left behind. Every one of Tony's cries for help cut through her like a knife. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, she pulled at her bound hands, not caring is the ties ripped into her skin all she wanted to do is to charge at the man who had done this to Tony.

The torch was now at Tony's chest, blackened, burnt meat was spread all across his body, Ziva could see Tony's muscle shrinking under the heat. Clumps of skin fell to floor.

"BASTARD!" Ziva screamed, she couldn't control her emotions anymore. The tears rolled freely down her cheeks.

At hearing this the man took the flame away from Tony and shut it off. He took three quick steps towards Ziva and grabbed a fistful of hair, yanking her head back.

"I am the Bastard?!" He shouted down at Ziva, spit flying into her face "I am the Bastard? Miss David you could of stopped this all! It is your fault!"

The man walked to the corner of the cell and drew another item from the duffel bad. It was a clear glass bottle filled to the brim with a clear liquid.

"Do you know what this is Miss David?"

She looked up at him, glaring, but she said nothing.

"This is pure alcohol Miss David," The man scowled cruelly.

He held it up in the air and walked over to Tony. Ziva knew how much this would hurt Tony.

"Miss David what is the purpose of 'Operation Indigo'?"

"Ziva?" Tony croaked

"Yes Tony?"

"Cover your ears, I do not want you to….hear me scream.." Tony held his head in shame.

"5…..4…..3….2" The man continued his dreaded countdown

"1…..0" The man turned around and through the alcohol all over Tony, Tony screamed and writhed it was just like being burned all over again. Tony twisted his body.

Ziva held her head down and closed her eyes, she hummed the tune that Tony had sung to her last night.

For Tony the pain was almost unbearable, it stung so much! It felt like his nerve endings were writhing ad twisting. The pain washed over him in waves, Tony felt the arms of unconsciousness creeping over him. Tony let it take him and he drifted off into the black.

The man stood up and stalked off out of the room. Leaving Ziva alone humming the song, no longer able to control the hot, salty tears that ran down her face. She lifted her head and stared at the disfigured body of her partner. But was he more than that? Ziva knew she cared for Tony, she knew it felt like a knife being cut through her every time she saw him hurt. But how could he ever forgive her after what she had done? Ziva closed her eyes, praying that sleep would take her away from the situation that she knew she had unwillingly dragged Tony into.

**Okay so how was it? Still no clear answer on who is going to be the next prime-minister. Please review and give ideas for future. What do you think Operation Indigo actually is?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Special Agent Gibbs unfolded his reading glasses and set them down on the desk next to him. He rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes and flicked off the reading lamp next to him.

NCIS headquarters was unusually quiet, the bull- pen was empty and most other agents had headed off home for the night. McGee was down in Abby's lab desperately trying to trace the email that had sent Gibbs the pictures of their two captive friends.

Gibbs looked at the file next to him, it had taken him 2 hours to read the file on 'Operation Indigo'. It was a joint Mossad and NCIS operation which was very, as DiNozzo would say 'hush, hush'. As far as Gibbs could tell the only people who knew about it were Director David, Vance and SecNav.

The plan was to send Navy Seals and Mossad operatives into a Red Sea port which had been identified as an Hamas training ground and a Taliban recruitment zone. The mission would be completely off the record due to the fact the UN had forbidden any military operations in the area due to a failed Mossad operation years ago had left heavy civilian casualties. Mossad were under strict orders not to be operating there, probably why they had dragged the US Navy into help.

Gibbs groaned as he thought of all the complications that came with the folder that he had just read. Why would Vance risk his job on something like this?

Gibbs' train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of McGee.

"Boss?" He questioned, fearful of interrupting whatever Gibbs had been doing.

"What McGee?" Gibbs' voice was not angry, just tired and strained.

"You have received another email from Tony and Ziva's imprisoner…" McGee trailed off when he saw the look on his Boss' face. "I'll let you read it then." McGee spun on his heel and headed back towards Abby's lab.

Gibbs opened up his email account and double clicked on the unopened message. A new window opened up on his screen and his piercing blue eyes quickly scanned the short message.

_I know you have the file, bring it to 1725 Desales Street Northwest at 0700 tomorrow, leave the file in the dark green wheelie bin and one of your agents will be returned to you, come alone. If I even slightly suspect you have brought back-up, both of your agents will be killed._

Gibbs shut down his computer and stared at his watch. It was 11:00 pm. Gibbs rubbed his temples, he had some serious thinking to do.

**Okay so yeah I know how crap 'Operation Indigo' was but I can't think of stuff like that! So please update I promise the next chapter will be longer and better.**


	9. Cruel Needs

Chapter 9

Tony's eyes fluttered. He felt the tentacles of unconsciousness slipping away from him. He tried to grasp onto them not wanting to awaken to the predicament that he found himself in.

But he couldn't hold on he found himself emerging, like breaking the surface of water in a cold, black lake. He lifted his head up and found he was looking at his partner. She must be sleeping her head was hung and her chest gave away her steady breathing.

Tony had the sudden urge to brush her hair away from her face. He didn't know why but he just wanted to hold her and protect her from whatever the world decided to throw at them.

Tony noticed that Ziva was starting to come around and a smile flashed across his face. Ziva raised her head and blinked a few times.

"Well Good Morning Zee-Vah!" Tony smirked

"Good Morning." Ziva's reply was half- hearted, her eyes kept following the burns up and down the right side of the face. At least the alcohol had helped with the healing process, it also reduced the chance of infection. Even so Tony's body had been mutilated in a horrific way and it made the Mossad trained officer angry beyond comprehension. Torture to herself she could deal with. During her time in Somalia she had come up with ways of blocking the pain. Of 'damming it up' so that she would not speak. But when she was forced to endure Tony being hurt it cut through her like a knife. It created cracks in her dam, threatening to release the reservoir of emotions that lay behind.

Ziva looked up at the door as it began to swing open. She looked at the man in more detail, whenever she saw him she felt this nagging feeling inside her telling her that she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place her toe on it – no wait that wasn't right. Never mind, Ziva desperately racked her brain for where she new this man from but she just didn't know.

The man walked in. There was a certain cockiness to his step, from every pore of his body he oozed power and control.

Today though the man was followed by two of his accomplises, as always they were wearing masks which made their faces unreadable.

"Raise your hands!" The man commanded, unlike last time Ziva offered no resistance knowing that if she did the mans frustration would be taken out on Tony and not her.

The men unbound her hands and she lifted them above her head and the two men carried her off to the water pipe where once again she was zip tied.

"Now Miss David, you haven't been very helpful have you?" The man waved his finger back and forth in front of her.

She spat at him, the man wiped the blood flecked saliva from his expensive linen suit. With a quick flick of his wrist he slapped Ziva round the face. She raised her head up and smiled, a trick that she had learned from Tony, even the darkest of Evil flees at the break of a smile.

"You have made us wait a long time Miss David and my men have become – agitated, impatient."

Tony's head shot up, he knew where this was going.

"Don't you even think about it you twisted son of a bitch!" Tony yaked at his bounds, he didn't care if the man had found his weak spot. All he knew was that he had to stop Ziva from being hurt.

"Think about what Mr DiNozzo?" The man grabbed the wound on his back and squeezed, Tony bit down on his lip to stop from crying out. Tony stared at the man.

The man flicked out a knife and returned his attention back to Ziva, he sliced at her shirt and it fell to the floor in tatters.

"So Miss David as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, you have caused my men to become angry and upset, do you not think that you should offer them some sort of – release?" The man smiled cruelly and nodded towards the two men.

Ziva's face was emotionless, all emotion had disappeared from her face, she knew she could deal with this, she had managed in Somalia, she knew her dam was strong enough.

"You bastard!" Tony screamed, he was desperately tugging at his bonds, trying to break free, deep down he new his attempts where pointless but he didn't care.

The men yanked down Ziva's jeans and left her standing there in only her underwear.

"I am going to hunt you down," Tony spat, the men continued to undress Ziva.

"And lock you in a cold dark room," The men looked at each other, they grabbed Ziva's hair.

"I am going to kill you slowly – all of you!" Tony saw red, he tried desperately tugging at the straps. The man smiled at him.

"Mr DiNozzo I must ask you to remain quiet – you will spoil this for me." The man smirked.

"Ziva look at me!" Tony shouted, Ziva's chocolate eyes met his emerald ones. "I am going to make this all better, I promise, God Ziva I am so sorry!" Tony couldn't hold back the tears they were streaming down his face.

"Please," Tony turned his attentions back to the man "Please – I will do anything."

Tony held his head in shame.

"Now, now Mr DiNozzo, I promised my men." He turned towards them, they had momentarily stopped. "Continue…"

"If you lay a finger on her!" Tony screamed at them. He put all his strength into tugging at the chair. He felt the ties mercilessly cutting into his wrists but he didn't care, he saw red. All of this was to late.

He watched as he saw Ziva tense up, she knew what was coming. Tony knew he had tried everything, he couldn't prevent this. So with tears still streaming down his face he began to hum the song – their song. He saw Ziva smile at him, almost trying to comfort him. Tony knew that this was all pointless. Then one of the masked men stepped in-between Tony and Ziva.

He roughly grabbed her head and yanked it round so she was looking at him.

"I am going to enjoy this!" He smiled cruelly. Ziva closed her eyes and tried to zone out, mentally preparing herself for what was coming next.

Tony hung his head, still humming.

_Where are you Gibbs?_ Tony was filled with anger _This is your fault! _Tony screamed at himself. _He filled himself with self – loathing and anger at Gibbs. Come find her Gibbs, find her. _

**Okay so I didn't want to go into to much detail on the whole rape thing. But thanks for all your support, really appreciate it. As always the next update will be up as soon as I can – CHIERS! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay so I know some of you didn't like the Ziva rape thing but I need it to make this basic blueprint in my head make sense. But like I said before all of your ideas and suggestions are welcome so please keep reviewing – much appreciated.**

Chapter 10

Gibbs walked down the bustling street, he pulled his jacket tighter around him, trying to keep out the cold wind. Gibbs felt nervous. He had broken every rule in the book. He had come alone, he hadn't told Abby or McGee. But Ziva and Tony were like children to him and he had to do everything in his power to keep them out of harms way.

Gibbs felt he weighed a million tonnes, the file pressed down heavily in his jacket pocket. He walked down yet another avenue. Checking once again to see if he was being followed. Gibbs knew that he was going to loose his job for this so he wasn't going to evolve anybody else he cared about.

Gibbs took a sharp right and he found himself in a gloomy back alley. The hum of air- conditioning vents was the only sound that broke the silence. The sounds of the city seemed to fade away. Puddles and mould were his only company. Gibbs glance around and saw 5 black dustbins, and one green one. Gibbs quickly walked over to it and lifted the heavy cover.

Gibbs reached inside his jacket pocket and drew out the ile. He looked at it, a moment of indecision. Once he gave this away his opponents would be holding all the cards and he would be left with nothing. He probably would be without a job as well.

"Screw it" he muttered. Vance already hated him and Tony and Ziva were more important than any job. A job is replaceable, Tony and Ziva weren't. Gibbs dropped the file into the bin and walked away. Praying that whoever had done this would live up to their side of the deal.

Ziva felt empty, hollow, a shell of her former self. She was still hanging in the cell. Her eyes were closed but she knew Tony was with her, it sounded strange but she knew his breathing from anywhere.

The door swung open and somebody stalked in. Ziva opened her eyes, The man was stood there holding a file.

"Your Boss has fulfilled his side of the bargain," The man said carefully "Unlike what you two may think," the man continued "I am an honest man," Tony snorted "And I will fulfil my side of the deal.

"Which was?" Tony questioned, Tony's anger had not surpassed yet, if he was honest he doubted if it ever would. He spat every word.

"I promised to release ONE of you…." The man put as much empathies on the word, 'one' but the agents didn't need it they understood the message loud and clear.

"But which one?" The man asked, almost t himself.

"Take her," Tony almost pleaded. " Do whatever you want to me, but please release her."

There was a quiet silence

"Release him," Ziva croaked "You can have more 'fun' with me.." She trailed off.

"Now, now, now," The man said "I seem to have a decision to make.." He smiled his teeth glinted ominously.

Gibbs had returned to the office. The elevator doors slid open, Gibbs began walking to his desk, he glanced up and saw the Director staring down at him. Gibbs ignored this and he walked over to his desk. McGee gave him a confused expression but before he could ask Gibbs shot him one of those 'Don't-Ask-Where-I-Have-Been' looks. McGee shut his mouth and returned his attention back to the computer.

Gibbs sat back down at his desk, he looked up at Vance who had already started turning his back and walking to his office.

Gibbs rubbed his eyes, he had only got a few hours of sleep last night, he knew it was the same with McGee.

"McGee?" The younger agent spun round on his chair to face him.

"What Boss?" He asked

"Catch a few Z's.." Gibbs trailed off

"But what about Tony and Ziva?" McGee questioned

"Damn it McGee don't argue with me! Your more use to me energised and on the ball than a sleep deprived zombie that you are now! It doesn't have to be long just 45 minutes would do!" Tiredness had made Gibbs' patience wear thin.

"Sorry…" McGee started

"You have nothing to me sorry about McGee just take a nap." Gibbs interrupted, his voice was calm, but quiet.

McGee nodded and stood up.

"I'm off to Abby's Lab – the music, calms me." McGee smirked and headed off towards the elevator.

Gibbs smirked and turned his attention towards his computer, he noticed he had another email. He opened it.

_Want one of your agents back? Same place, same dumpster. _

Gibbs scanned the email.

"McGee!" He shouted across the bull pen.

"What Boss?" McGee spun around, he had been waiting for an elevator, the doors pinged open bt he ignored them, a questioning look covered his face.

"GRAB YOUR GEAR!" Gibbs shouted at him, he grabbed his own gun and rucksack and was already walking.

McGee sprinted back to his desk and grabbed his SIG and rucksack and ran after Gibbs.

McGee and Gibbs headed down the alley way guns drawn. They quickly started towards the dumpster, on the constant alert for foul play. Gibbs quickly pulled back the lid. There nestled among the rubbish and bin bags was a body.

Gibbs reached down towards it. "Hello Ziva…"


	11. It Should Of Been Me

**Okay so this is a shout out to all those people who have reviewed my work, you know who you are! Right I can't get any sleep so I am updating at 5 in the morning. For the next couple of weeks I might not be able to update due to the fact I have my GCSE's coming up, (for the American and Australian readers these are really big important exams which I can't afford to screw up. So consider this an advanced warning.**

**Thank you all so much for your support. So instead of boring you with author notes I present you the next chapter.**

Chapter 11

Ziva's eyes snapped open, she looked around her, she was in a hospital bed, an IV was placed into her arm. Sunlight was beginning to creep through the closed blinds. Then things began to come back to her, the man had inserted a syringe into her arm sending her into deep realms of unconsciousness.

The door opened and Ziva sighed in relief when Gibbs walked through the door.

"You're awake," He said a little stunned

"No, no, no." Ziva's breathing increased rapidly and she began to shake her head from side to side. The heart machine began to blip like crazy in the corner.

"Ziva calm down." Gibbs said in a gentle voice "You are safe."

"I should not be here Gibbs, he should not have chosen me." Her breaths were becoming more laboured "Tony!" She gasped. Gibbs could see that nurses had started running towards Ziva's room getting ready to respond to whatever had sent the machines into a state of hyper-active bleeping.

Ziva began to struggle, she lashed out against the bed covers that were confining her, desperately trying to break free. Ziva went to rip out the IV in her arm but Gibbs grabbed her wrist before she could do so. She twisted and fought against him.

"It should of been me!" She screamed at him "It….it should of been me!" She sobbed.

The door burst open and two nurses jumped in, they saw the state Ziva was in and quickly grabbed a syringe, Ziva felt it enter her arm and almost immediately Ziva felt more calm and relaxed.

"It should have been me." She whispered before falling into a drug educed sleep.

XXX

Anthony DiNozzo was strapped to a chair in the middle of the cell, but for the first time since his capture he felt he could relax. Ziva was safe and that was all that mattered. This man could put him through hell but it was all worth it, just to know that Ziva was safe.

The door burst open and the man stalked in.

"Just you and me now buddy," DiNozzo smirked " Hey I still don't know your name-" He was cut off by a sharp blow to the mouth. He smiled again "Oh God please don't tell me that it is Saleem because that would just be TOO frea--ky!" DiNozzo grinned one of his mega-watt grins.

The man walked around Tony's chair.

"You don't need to know anything about me." The man said sharply.

"Too late Mr 'I-Am-Gonna-Be-Grumpy-And-Not-Tell-You-My-Name." DiNozzo grinned,

"What do you mean 'too late'?" A look of confusion crossed his face.

"You were trained by Mossad weren't you?" Tony answered

"How – how could you tell?" The man asked, he obviously was confused. As Tony had noticed before he was not very good at masking his emotions

"The way you hold yourself, the way you walk around like you are indestructible, the way that violence is always the answer. The way a gleam of a knife fascinates you – you are captivated by it. Your accent, hidden behind perfect English now but when you are angry or frustrated it comes out. Finally after all of this you still choose to wield an Israeli gun." DiNozzo nodded towards the Desert Eagle that lay holstered on the man's belt.

"Well, well Mr DiNozzo you hold more investigative skills than I first gave you credit for." The man nodded his head slightly.

"I try." DiNozzo grinned again.

The sounds of grunting and heavy lifting came from the other side of the door.

"What's going on?" DiNozzo questioned. He felt a sharp blow as the man's fist smacked into his face, he could have sworn he heard his left eye socket crack.

"Enough questions out of you!" The man spat. _Subject holds violent mood swings – right noted._ Tony thought to himself "And if you really must know we are moving base!" The man then produced a syringe and stuck it deep into Tony's arm. Unconsciousness quickly followed.

XXX

McGee had watched the whole scene between Ziva and Gibbs unfold before him, she saw how she lashed out and struggled. She heard how Ziva cried out that it should be Tony there not her.

McGee now focused on the expressions of his boss. Gibbs gaze seemed, empty, distant. It was now that McGee wondered if Gibbs agreed with Ziva, would he rather it was Tony in his arms? McGee knew it was a horrible thought, he knew how Gibbs saw all of them like children but he couldn't quite purge the idea from his mind.

Yes Ziva had opened up to him and Gibbs had trusted her right from the start, McGee still didn't know why, that was their secret. And yes Ziva shared similar ideas as him, similar ideologies. But Gibbs had known Tony longer, he had been through everything with him, Kate's death…

Tony knew Gibbs before McGee did and they had always had been close, a father-and-son team……McGee trailed off left to his own musings.

_We will find you Tony, we will find you, so Gibbs never has to choose…._

XXX

Tony woke up shivering; he looked around and saw that he was in a large walk in freezer that you could only find at really upmarket restraints. Cow and pig carcases hung from the ceiling on evil looking meat hooks.

Tony noticed that he was wearing nothing but his white boxer–briefs. He also noticed that his hands were now handcuffed together to a thick cooling pipe. He also noticed the Mossad man leaning against the wall in the corner, watching him. DiNozzo shivered again – _Damn it sure was chilly! _

"Cold Mr DiNozzo?" The man enquired

"You could say that, you do know I find being stripped and hand cuffed very kinky.." DiNozzo smiled at the man and watched in glee at the anger his response had caused spread across the mans face.

"You would like to know why you are hand cuffed and inside a freezer?" The man asked

"Gee man you're a mind reader!" DiNozzo smirked he then continued "The thought had crossed my mind."

"You suffered from the plague a few years ago didn't you Mr DiNozzo…" The man said.

"Yup – best days of my life!"

"That is why you are here, your weakened and scarred lungs will not be able to deal with the cold, consider it if you will Mr DiNozzo, 'torture from your own body'." The man smiled to himself and sat down on a shelf wrapping a thick fur coat tightly around him.

The silence was broken by a long raspy cough that racked Tony's body and lungs.

_Aww Crap! _Tony thought to himself.


	12. Chapter 12

**Once again thank you all for your support, just a shortie! Need to concentrate on my coursework. Ah 1 week until my R.E exam- not to worried about that one although there are NO retakes. But all you have to do is voice your opinions, so I guess this is kind of practice. Now my German speaking orals, perhaps I should add a German character into the mix? But I am really stuck on involving Maths and that is the one I am terrified of, I have to get over 90% to get an A* which means I can only drop 5 marks out of a 130 mark paper – scared. All lot of the fan reviews I have been receiving have been about Tony's kinky line, I must say I made myself chuckle at that. I am actually supprised how many quotable lines are coming out of this piece! As always thank you for your support.**

**Yours-Will-Update-As-Soon-As-I-Can-Fully**

**Jess**

Chapter 12

Ziva had woken up three times that night, screaming. Every time Gibbs had been there he had held her had and gently rubbed her forehead, soothing her. Ziva let the emotion wash over her. She couldn't stop the sobs and tears. She just buried her face into Gibbs' shirt, he didn't complain he just placed his arm around her and gently rocked her back and forth. He knew Ziva's mind was elsewhere, but what he didn't know was that Ziva kept playing the scene where the blow torch had been held to Tony's face, over and over again…..

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS OK I THINK THAT IS ENOUGH :D

Tony was shivering uncontrollably; the man had left him long ago meaning his only company was the carcases hanging around him. Another cough raked his body draining yet more of the precious little energy he had left. Tony saw that he was now coughing up blood. _Oh! I am sure that is great sign! _Tony laughed at his own sense of humour.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs had received 'one of those messagy bleepy thingys'. It was from McGee. Gibbs glanced at Ziva making sure she was peacefully asleep before he stood up and started heading towards the cafeteria where he knew McGee would be waiting.

Gibbs walked over to him and sat down on one of the cheap plastic chairs next to the agent. McGee was so engrossed in typing away on his laptop he barely noticed that his boss was now sat down next to him.

"How's Ziva?" McGee asked, his fingers still moving at blinding speed.

Gibbs sighed "She wakes up every night screaming, to be honest with ya she is an emotional wreck." Gibbs sighed again and McGee turned around in shock, he had never expected Gibbs to be so open with him. This was the kind of honesty he only reserved for Ducky, or he used to hold for Jenny.

"Why did you want to see me?" McGee looked at the older man, he had bags under his eyes and his voice sounded strained. McGee selflessly handed his coffee over to the man who smiled, but it never quite reached his eyes.

"We got sent some more images during the night, once again the feed was untraceable, I tried my hardest Gibbs honest but this guy is just so good he knows every trick in the trade….." McGee trailed off when he felt Gibbs' reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I know Tim, I know." McGee opened up the attachment on his laptop and carefully studied Gibbs' reaction.

The photo was of Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo chained to a wall pipe it what looked like an industrial freezer. But Gibbs Eyes rested on his senior agents face; he looked like the living dead. He was obviously cold and shivering but the defiance still glared obviously in his eyes.

McGee who had already seen the image measured his boss' expression carefully, it started off with shock which turned to conclusion and finally rage.

"What's this?" Gibbs said.

" I have confirmed that it is Tony…" McGee started before he was interrupted by Gibbs

"No this!" Gibbs angrily pointed at the screen. McGee twisted around in his seat so he could see what his boss was pointing at. At first it was a few saucepans hanging on hooks but as McGee enlarged the image he saw that a reflection. A man with a cruel glint in his eye – Tony's captor.

"McGee get that image to Abby now and run it through AFIS!" Gibbs tapped McGee on the shoulder and whispered "Good work."

Gibbs headed back towards Ziva's room to see if she had awoken yet, she was still uneasy about being left alone.

McGee was alone now as he set to work enhancing the image.

An elderly German couple were bickering behind him.

" Wo zum Teufel ist mein dounut Marmelade? Damn Krankenhäuser können nur greifen Lucas und weg!"

_Tony was drifting in and out of consciousness now, desperately hanging on fighting the abyss of sleep which he knew was inevitable. At least Ziva was safe, that was all that mattered. So that is what he hung on to, the image that Palmer had taken of New Years Eve. Everybody was happy, even Gibbs had shown a smile. Tony had just whispered something in Ziva's ear and her face lit up with joy and the camera captured eternally the glee in her eyes. Tony held onto that image, of his friends, his family……._

**Okay really cheesy ending but it just kind of worked, once again a big shout out for all your support, CHIERS!**


	13. Witty Banter

**Okay so do you like the down to earth, honest Tony that we saw in Chapter 3 or the down right cocky and quick witted Tony that made an appearance in chapter 11. Thank you all for your suggestions. **

Chapter 13 – some would consider it unlucky….

Abby was angry. She didn't care for the weird looks that visitors gave her as she stalked down the isles of the hospital.

He barely even heard an elderly German man whisper to his wife

"Jesus Martha, ich dachte nur, dass sie sich der Sache in Österreich zugelassen"

Abby stalked down the isles almost daring people to challenge her, why was she not informed that Ziva was now safe. It was only until McGee had sent her the image of Tony in the freezer that she realised how out of control Gibbs had let things get.

She turned sharply on one platform boot and continued her death march towards Ziva's room. Abby was about to burst through the door but something stopped her. Perhaps it was Ziva's sleeping body, her face was so innocent, but even a blind man could see the lines of guilt that streaked her forehead. Or perhaps it was her beloved mentor Gibbs, who was holding Ziva's hand whispering soothing words to her.

What ever it was Abby felt the anger in her quickly evaporate And she was left there swaying gently outside the door, then she felt a steady hand on her shoulder and she turned around to see McGee staring intently at her.

"Timmy…" She whispered.

"I know Abs, I know." McGee embraced her and he gently began to rock back and forth. Abby swayed with him.

"Did you get any matches?" McGee asked

"Hmmm?" Abby was confused

"The image of Tony, the face, did AFIS find any matches?" McGee tried again his voice was still soft, he had not released his hold on Abby yet.

"Oh God!" Abby exclaimed, she quickly head slapped herself. "Um yeah McGee I ran it though and found a match on Mossad trained officer Tzahal Chomsky, he is very much like Ari, forced to work for Director David, being used all of his life until, he snaps, he falls of the record and is presumed dead, this is the first anybody has heard of him…." Abby trailed off.

"I'll tell Gibbs," McGee smoothed her unruly pigtails. "You," he said jabbing his finger into Abby's chest "Get some sleep."

Abby only nodded once, she walked off to the cafeteria, _I wonder if they sell Caf-POW!s?_

NCISNCISNCISNCIS

Tony felt he had been locked in the freezer for hours, one by one he had felt his functions beginning to shut down on him. It was now that the man had decided to return. He had said nothing he just quietly sat in a corner watching Tony and grinning every time he coughed violently.

"Regrets Mr DiNozzo?" He called over

"Never!" He called back, his voice was weaker now though and the man picked up on it.

"It could have been Miss David sitting there, and she would not of had all the complications with her lungs...." The man trailed off.

"Oh admit it," Tony smirked "You just wanted to see Ziva in her underwear!"

"I admit it would have been a lot more appealing to the eye…" The man scanned Tony's battered and bruised body. The burns had not yet healed and cuts of various sizes ran up and down the length of his body.

"I know you love the rugged look really.." Tony winked at the man. Even after all of the pain and agony he had put Tony through, Tony was still gratefull. Of course he was still angry that he had instructed his men to rape Ziva but he had released her, she was free and that was all that mattered.

"As much as that may be Mr DiNozzo," The man returned his playful banter. " I am afraid I must leave you now, the doctor is surprised at how well you have done so far and you are still able to crack jokes! There is a wager running around my men trying to bet how long you will last……But no matter whatever happens you will break eventually, your tired lungs WILL give out, Unless of course….." The man trailed off watching seeing if Tony would take the bait.

"Unless what?" Tony sighed, he had bitten, it was just his curious nature.

"You tell me about Ziva David's role to play in 'Operation Indigo'."

"Oh my God we are back to this? I thought we moved on!" Tony smirked

"Yes Mr DiNozzo, so what is her envolvement?" He asked

"Why don't you look it up I am sure you have her file, just like mine." DiNozzo gave his best innocent stare. The man punched him square in the jaw.

"You know full well that 'Operation Indigo' is off the record!" The man screamed at Tony.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that.." DiNozzo trailed off. "If you wanted information so bad why did you let her go and keep me?" DiNozzo asked his voice soft.

"I will see you in a few hours Mr DiNozzo." The man stood up and walked out.

"Fino a quando la prossima volta il mio amico freezer felice!" DiNozzo called after him.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Tony." Ziva whimpered in her sleep, she began to sob again, the dam holding up the reservoir of her emotions had one slight crack, a tiny flaw in the concrete. Anthony DiNozzo. And when she knew that he was in pain, because of her, it felt as if her defences had been smashed open and the carefully bottled emotion surged free in a tidal wave of pain and anguish.

Gibbs held her tightly willing her to go back to sleep and not to have to face the horrors that the real world had to offered. But then he remembered something Tony had told him a very long time ago.

_Even the darkest, meanest of evil screams, runs and hides at even the mere glimpse of a genuine smile._ So that is what Gibbs did, he smiled. He smiled kindly down against Ziva and he smiled proudly at McGee and Abby who he could see feverishly working away in the cafeteria. But most of all, he smiled for Tony, for all the fond memories they had shared, for all the times he had been head slapped. But like proud father smiling for his son, Gibbs smiled for as always, Tony had selflessly put himself before others.

_Run, scream and hide you son of a bitch, _Gibbs thought to himself _because I am coming, ready or not!_

**As always please review I would love to hear your thoughts, now to Maths revision *yey*!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Tony couldn't stop the shaking, he pulled his legs up to his chest desperately trying to keep a stable core body temperature. Tony was long past the feeling of numbness, he had lost all sensation in his toes hours before. And yet he refused to give up. He breathed out, his moist breath condensing causing it to look like a white plume of smoke.

The man walked in, and sat down staring at Tony.

"Wh..hy a..m I….I ..lll …e?" Tony's teeth chattered uncontrolbably and he coughed up more blood at the effort of speaking.

"You are still alive Agent DiNozzo because I wish you to be." The man shrugged his shoulders like it was a matter of life.

"Aw grown close to me have you? I am very loveable." Tony gave him his most fantastic grin, the illusion would have worked if the sentence had not come out as "Gr..n…..coo…se,t,,,o..mmmeee..hav….z..u.?" Tony gave up knowing that while his teeth were chattering speech was pointless.

"Cold Mr DiNozzo?" The man repeated his question from earliar.

Tony decided not to risk speech so nodded his head.

"Good." The man stalked off and left Tony alone.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

McGee double clicked the power point. 'Team Gibbs' minus one had gathered around Ziva's bed as they watched the presentation the McGee was running from his laptop.

"Tzahal Chomsky was born in Tel Aviv in 1986. His mother a refugee who was killed in the Gaza Strip, This is when he and his younger sister were taken in by Mossad , Director David to be precise," all eyes fell on Ziva, her face showed no change in emotion so McGee continued. "Tzahal and his sister Golda were trained like any other agents, they learnt how to fight and assassinate." McGee watched Ziva again and then continued "Tzahal was sent to infiltrate a Hamas cell and bring it down from the inside. Director David was blinded so much by control and revenge he forgot that his puppet was in imminant danger, Eli David grew blind, fuelled only by his own quest. Much like Jenny with the Frog." McGee paused for a while allowing his power point to catch up.

"McGee, continue!" Gibbs ordered and McGee started clicking again.

"By now Tzahal has married and he has a 5 month old son. Golda is engaged, because they are infiltrating the Hamas camp they have to live in the port where 'Operation Indigo' is due to be held."

"As Gibbs read in the file before, Mossad had already tried, and failed to capture the port. In the days leading up to the attack Tzahal had sensed that something was brewing so he had asked Director David for the start date of the offensive, so he could get his family out in time. Eli gave Tzahal the dates, what Tzahal didn't know was the date he had been given was three days after the attack was actually due to begin. Tzahal had been away on a training mission at the time but when he returned he found his home had been destroyed, his wife and child where dead, even his sister Golda, apparently she didn't know the time of the attack either."

McGee clicked for the next slide. The room was completely silent apart from the faithful whir of McGee's computer. "Tzahal had lost everything, he went underground, Mossad presumed him to be dead."

The room was quiet and eerie for a while.

"Why," Abby croaked, "Why didn't they tell him?"

"I can only assume that they thought he would leak the information to Hamas.." McGee shrugged.

Gibbs looked at Ziva, she was staring out the window, her pupils not really fixating on anything in particular.

"Ziva?" Gibbs asked snapping his fingers in front of her eyes. She blinked a few times before turning back to the time.

"I remember where I know him from, " She whispered, nobody daring to interrupt her "we were operating out in Morocco, he saved my life on a few occasions," Gibbs sensed like there was more but he didn't want to push her.

Gibbs raised a comforting hand to her shoulder, showing her reassurance. In the next couple of minutes Gibbs explained all he had learned from the Operation Indigo folder which wasn't much.

After that the team had left Ziva with Gibbs in her room, they sat there in silence for a while, before she said;

"You will find him Gibbs, you'll find him won't you." She turned her head towards him, her deep pools of brown staring innocently and openly into his.

Gibbs was shocked, he had never known Ziva to have to be reassured, but then again the Ziva that he had found in a Dustbin was a very different Ziva from the one he had known before. "Yeah Ziva, we will find him." He then placed a arm around her shoulder and held her there, feeling her starting to relax.

"You do know there is far more to 'Operation Indigo' than the folder is letting on don't you?" Ziva questioned Gibbs.

"I gathered but I couldn't work out what it would be…" Gibbs replied.

Ziva swallowed, "The Mossad attack a few years ago was not to wipe out Hamas, that was a bonus, it was an operation to sought out the inside of Mossad, all the mistrusted or tarnished record officers were sent to that area to work different operations…." She trailed off but Gibbs remained silent not wanting to pry things out of her.

"Tzahal was one of those agents, his sister had been accused of leaking information and it was assumed that they were an inside team." She paused for a moment before continuing, "In the middle of the night a pair of agents would burst into each agents residence and assassinate the officer and his/her family." She hung her head in shame, "A lot of innocent blood was spilled that night, My father called it a 'crusade' for a new and better Mossad, it was a purge of all the 'filth' from the organisation, he said he wanted to build a new Mossad, I now realised he wanted complete control, he wanted everybody loyal to him." She took in a deep breath, Gibbs could see that this was difficult for her.

"I believe this is what Vance plans to do, all the SEALS and the marines will probably be accused of a petty crime or have accusations placed again them. I think Vance and the SecNav plan to purge the Navy…" She whispered "With Mossad as their executionary force.

Gibbs nodded in shock, it all began to make sense, "And what would Mossad get out of this?" Gibbs asked.

"It is common knowledge that my father has a strong relationship with my Father, I can only assume that he is gaining secrets of undercover operations or insurgent camps."

" I will get McGee to look at this." Gibbs began to feel the anger building up inside him at the enormity of the project, Vance was planning a Holocaust. Gibbs shook his head in disbelief at the events folding out before him.

"Get some sleep Ziva." Gibbs said before leaving the room, he had some phone calls to make.

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Tony had been moved out of the freezer, he now found himself tied to a chair again in a gloomy, dank basement. Tony's body was so weak the men had to carry him, Tony knew that it had not been an act of mercy moving him out into the warmth, the damage had already been done to his lungs.

Another ghastly cough racked Tony's lungs and the sound bounced around the room. Tony brought up move blood and bile and he tried to spit it from his mouth, he just hung loosely in his chair unable to find the energy to lift his head as he heard the door opening and heavy boots descending the steps down to the basement floor.

"Ah good evening Mr DiNozzo!" The man boomed.

"Ah good evening," Tony had stopped shaking now but his voice still sounded dry each syllable croaked and sent pain shooting through his windpipe.

Tony was so hungry, he had eaten hardy anything since he had arrived here, he had managed to grab a few bites of raw beef that he could reach while he was being held captive in the freezer, it had tasted disgusting and Tony was repulsed by the fact he was eating raw flesh. But his stomach won the battle and he engorged himself on it. As for water he had managed to catch drops which had fallen from a leaking cooling vent that was in the ceiling when he was in the freezer.

This didn't mean Tony wasn't thirsty, his throat screamed at him to have something to drink.

"Mr DiNozzo what was Officer Davids purpose in 'Operation Indigo'?" The man asked.

"You said 'was'?" The man looked confused so Tony continued "The operation has not occurred yet so it should be 'is' but you said 'was' implying that the operation has happened before…" Tony trailed off.

The man punched Tony round the face several times. "A simple grammatical error!" The man screamed at him.

"Now, now nobody goes to fits of rage like that over grammatical errors, also you have been talking to several days and you have not made mistakes, so I am assuming you think that 'Operation Indigo' has happened once before…" Tony left it at that it was a stab in the dark but he was hoping that the man would reply.

"Not think, know," The man confirmed Tony's suspicions.

"What were their names?" Tony asked the man looked confused so Tony continued "You are doing this for some people you held close to you, men are not born killers."

The man snarled and whacked Tony across the face. He pulled out some electrical cord and wrapped it around Tony's chair, She neatly tied it around, the wire was thick and heavy, he man wrapped so it resembled a etiquette spiders web or cocoon. The man then connected the wires to a large generator that Tony had only just noticed sat in the corner. Tony instantly felt electricity surge through the wires, it made his hair stand on end.

"Through these wires is running 300 volts of electricity, if you move any part of your body a fraction of an inch you will be electrocuted." The man smirked unpleasantly "Their names Mr DiNozzo were Amit and Netanya." Tony heard the click as the door was shut behind the man.

The basement was silent, silent apart from the hum of electricity that Tony could hear running centimetres away from his ears.


	15. Acceptance

**Hi guys thank you for all the support you have shown me just a short chapter today, sorry, please review and suggest ways the story can go – THANKS!**

Chapter 15

Tony's muscles screamed at him to stretch. Tony had lost count of the number of hours that he had been forced to endure this agony. All he wanted to do was to stretch his legs or his neck but the hum of electricity kept as a constant reminder why not to.

But he couldn't help it every time he coughed his body's involuntary movement caused him to touch the wire and Tony jerked as 300 volts surged through his body causing his vision to blur.

Tony tried to distract himself, he tried to leave his body, leave the pain caused by his shoulder or the discomfort in his legs or the burning sensation that he still felt on the left side of his body. He tried to think that he was somewhere else, no hunger, no pain.

It hurt to break, every time Tony in air it felt like shards of glass were being struck into his lungs. Tony knew he must have looked like hell, his skin was clammy and his face was constantly bathed in a cold sweat. Tony shut his eyes and prayed that he was somewhere else. Tony imagined he was in his favourite park, the sun was shining brightly, he was contented. Ziva was laying next to him soaking up the D.C rays. He imagined placing his arm around her and she snuggled into his chest, he wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let her go, anything that the world decided to throw at them, they would face it, together.

But Tony wasn't in a park, he was in some mouldy and dark basement and he wasn't with Ziva, he was alone, all alone, and nobody was coming to get him. Tony sighed accepting his fate. It was his destiny, he had done what was necessary he had saved Ziva, it was up to Gibbs to protect her now.

Tony closed his eyes, waiting for death to come and get him.

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McGee took a sip of his coffee, it was disgusting and cheap but it was caffeine and that was all he needed right now. He had spent the last 6 hours hacking into military records trying to find men who would be serving in 'Operation Indigo', and why they had been put on the list.

The reasons waved from spouse abuse to accusations of embezzling to suspicions of stealing and selling secrets. That is not what had shocked McGee though, it was that 3 days before the operation was due to begin Vance had requested that Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo be shipped back out to become an 'Agent Afloat' on the very ship spear heading the attack. It was also added in Vance's notes that Tony stick to the marines at all times, even when ashore. Surely this meant that the fate Vance had held for these men Vance had also held for Tony.

McGee Vance had disliked Tony, he hated his frat boy attitude and Vance wanted more agents who were technology able like himself. But Tony was a good investigator and McGee hadn't realised how much Vance disliked him.

As soon as McGee had put the pieces together he had quickly dialled Gibbs who was already on his way to confront Vance about what they had discovered. All McGee heard on the other end of the line was a snarl and a roar of a car engine.

McGee picked up his coffee and began walking towards Ziva's room she had been asleep when he had left her 15 minutes ago and he wanted to see how she was.

McGee turned a corner and continued pacing down the corridor, he carefully opened Ziva's door not wanting to disturb Ziva is she was asleep. McGee was stunned at what he saw, he quickly punched a number into his cell phone and waited for someone to pick up.

"Gibbs." Gibbs snapped into the phone.

"Er boss we have a problem, "McGee said uncomfortably running his hands through his hair, "Ziva's, well…….she's gone."


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay this is a big thank you for all of you who reviewed by work, I always love to hear your thoughts whether it is 2 words or 500, please surgest ways the story can go- thank you.**

Chapter 16

Gibbs kicked open the heavy fire door that marked the entrance to Vance's domain. The office was neat and tidy, sporting photographs hung neatly on the walls, standing out against the crimson décor. The room was empty apart from a lonely figure sat in a leather office chair facing the city skyline with the back of the chair facing Gibbs.

"Leon Vance! Turn around now you self centred, egotistical, arrogant, cold hearted son of a bitch and face me like a man!" Gibbs shouted at the chair, there was no movement so Gibbs drew his SIG and stalked over to the chair, he grabbed it roughly and swung I around.

Leon Vance sat there, formally dressed in a black suit and tie, tooth pick firmly set between his lips. The only thing Gibbs noticed was out of place was the small round bullet hole which lay between Vance's eyes.

Gibbs took a step back in disbelief. Then the investigator in him won out, he started to illuminate possibilities. He started with suicide, the cup of coffee that sat on Vance's desk was luke warm meaning that he must of brought it up here about an hour ago. Gibbs opened the director's desk and found his handgun still safely secured there. Gibbs checked around for any other weapons and found none, meaning he was dealing with a murder.

Gibbs sighed and dialled McGee's cell number into his mobile, it only took a few rings before the junior agent picked up.

"What is it boss?" McGee asked

"I've got some news…"

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Ziva's arm burned from where her IV cord had been pulled out, a sack had roughly been pulled over her head cutting out all sight he had with the world. Ziva had been tossed in the back of a van and her hands had been zip tied together.

Although the bag cut out sight it didn't reduce her hearing. She heard voices coming from the front so she had awkwardly shuffled in order to enable herself to be able to hear better.

"Well that was easier than expected." A mans voice stated

"I know what you mean, Mossad trained my ass!" Another man scoffed

"I wonder why the boss wants this one so much?" The first man asked the other.

"I don't know and to be honest I don't really care…" The other man answered.

"I still don't know why the boss let her go, she would have been so much more fun than the man." Ziva gasped as she knew they were talking about Tony, she held her breath desperately trying to catch any details.

"Yeah but you have got to admit it's hilarious the way he talks back to the boss…" _Okay defiantly Tony_ Ziva thought to herself.

"Yeah but he mostly just suffers in silence, he dosen't shout or scream,just sits there, like he thinks he deserves it." The first man pondered.

"Maybe he does," The second man replied "boss still hasn't told us why we are keeping them captive."

"Perhaps the boss is just making us kidnap her because he wants a replacement, o be honest I don't think that man is going to last much longer, I mean, have you seen how much blood he is coughing up? That's not natural man!" The man exclaimed and Ziva clenched her fists. Why was Tony coughing blood? What had they done to him? Ziva closed her eyes desperately fighting back the tears, she didn't know what she would do without him, how she would be able to go on.

She silently prayed that the men were taking her to Tony, she wanted to be able to wrap her arms around him and never let him go.

She wondered if Gibbs and McGee had discovered if she was gone yet, she knew that they wouldn't be able to trace her, the men were to smart for that, they had taken her phone and any jewellery that she was wearing, which included her Star of David. She hadn't fought back, she just prayed that they were taking her back to Tony so she could see if he was alright.

Ziva felt that if Tony dies she would only have herself to blame so she closed her eyes, hoping that she wasn't already to late.

**Okay next update will be up soon, please review. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Okay so sorry this took so long to update, yeah I know I am a terrible person but thank you for all your reviews and keep them coming!**

Chapter 17

"McGee!" Gibbs voice boomed across the entrance hall of the hospital as he strode in purposefully.

McGee's head snapped up and he looked at Gibbs with a expression which can only be compared to a rabbit in the headlights.

"Um Boss?" He questioned timdly, he received a slap on the head.

"Tell me what happened McGee." Gibbs voice was quieter now but it had not lost its menacing edge.

"Well I was in the cafeteria, when I left Ziva was alone sleeping but she was being kept under close supervision by the nurses." McGee started.

"Not close enough." Gibbs grumbled

"I must have been gone for 10 minutes and when I returned Ziva was gone, there were signs of a struggle and her IV was ripped out. I have reviewed the CCTV footage and seen 2 men wearing civilian clothes and Ski masks take Ziva and drag her out of the delivery entrance round the back of the hospital."

"Why the hell didn't the hospital staff pick up on anything?" Gibbs explained.

"I think I can answer that one Jethro," It was at this moment Ducky stepped forward "They were attending to a man who had gone into sudden cardiac arrest several doors down from Tony, like you Jethro I am wary of coincidences so I reviewed the mans body and I smelt foul play so I sent the tox screen to Abby and she confirmed my suspicions. The man was injected with a snake poison, he obviously paid the ultimate price for Ziva's kidnapping to go off without a hitch. These are no ametures Jethro, this is high class work." Ducky stopped studying Gibbs' expression tyring to read the man who he counted as his closest friend.

"McGee," Gibbs started his voice barely more than a whisper " Close of the scene, bag and tag and take the photographs."

"Already have boss," McGee nodded his head towards the large pile of evidence which waited inside Tony's room. "And I swept for fingerprints, it came up with nothing the place must have been wiped Boss…"

Gibbs sighed, McGee looked at him with a worried expression on his face, Gibbs looked sullen and tied, all of this seemed so wrong for him, Gibbs always had the answers, he never lost his cool and he could always be relied on to get the job done. But as McGee studied the man infront of him more carefully all he could see was a man in freefall, he wasn't able to control the events which were escalating around him.

"Tell Duck he has got another body back at NCIS." Gibbs stated breaking McGee's thoughts.

"Another case boss?" McGee asked.

"It will be." Gibbs answered back, after seeing McGee's confused face he elaborated "I am sure there is going to be an investigation into why Leon Vance is laying on a slab in Autopsy."

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Ziva felt the van slow down beneath her as it came to a gradual stop. She heard the rear doors being flung open with force and she was roughly manhandled by two men. She didn't put up a fight she simply became a dead weight in their arms, she lost all sense of direction as she was dragged down corridors and down stairs. The bag on her head meant all light was cut out, Ziva wanted to rip the bag off but she resisted, letting the men carry her deeper into the labyrinth.

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Tony lay slumped in his chair, all of his energy had been sucked from his body, he sat there desperately trying to keep his eyes open against the cloak of tiredness that surrounded him, for he knew that if he let it swallow him he would probably never return.

But even so by each passing minute it was becoming harder and harder to resist, perhaps he should just give in? Perhaps that would be the best option. Tony snorted, it was obvious that Gibbs didn't care for him, otherwise he would have saved him by now. Ziva was safe and that was all that mattered to him, probably Gibbs as well. It was obvious Ziva had always been Gibbs' favourite, the one he would confide in, the one he could rely on to have his six. What was he to Gibbs? The head slappable frat boy in the corner who would occasionally say something helpful, but more often than not just land the team deeper into trouble. He was not important, people probably preferred it he was dead.

Tony then began to count people who would notice his absence from their lives. Tony was shocked by how very short the list was. Team Gibbs was top of the list but they would move on bounce back like they always do. He was an only child and his mother was dead, his father who cared very little for him would only see Tony's elimination as a cancellation to the heir of his wealth, nothing more. Tony's old Baltimore buddies wouldn't think much more of it. They still resented him for leaving and joining NCIS.

Tony began to feel a tear form in his eye as he realised how little he had achieved with his life. How much time he had wasted watching movies or chasing after short skirts. Instead he had ignored the important things, the things that matter.

Tony's cell door burst open and a hooded body was dragged in. One of the men dragged a wooden chair and slammed in front of Tony, the person was tied on to the frame. The two men inspected their handiwork before heading towards the door. One man grabbed the sack and yanked it upwards.

Tony's eyes snapped open and he stared as if it were a dream, there sat perhaps the only thing in the world that could make Tony's heart plummet towards the sky and sink like a stone all at the same time. There sat Ziva David.

**Okay more very soon I will give you another update very quickly to make up for the fact I took so long before! As always please review.**


	18. Partners Reunited

Chapter 18

"Ziva?" Tony croaked, he could feel tears forming in his eyes, he was so happy to see her all of the thoughts that he previously had in his head were instantly purged from his mind. How could he think about dieing when he could be privileged to lay on eyes on something as beautiful as Ziva everyday. But even so he felt his heart sink as he knew that his captors now had something to hurt him with, to know that Ziva could be put through pain made Tony feel like the whole world was crashing around him.

"Ziva?" Tony said, louder this time, this time Ziva raised her head and green eyes met Brown and the pair just stared deeply into one another eyes, feeling the comfort that one another's gaze could bring.

"Ziva, what are you doing here?" Tony swallowed and his whole body was raked by fits of coughing.

"I," Ziva smiled to herself before nodding "Couldn't live without you- I guess."

"You should not have come." A steely expression coated Tony's face, he listed his head up and jutted out his chin. "I am ready to die." He continued.

Ziva felt her heart sink, it was Somalia all over again, only the roles were reversed, "Tony you are going to get out of here." Ziva swallowed and she could feel tears forming in her eyes as she realised the hopelessness of the situation. Then she felt her strength building inside her as she realised as long as she was with Tony no situation was hopless.

"So what's that plan?" Tony asked

"What plan?" Ziva relied her brow creased with confusion.

"The plan to save us!" Tony exclaimed for the first time in days he had felt the spark of hope light inside him.

"There is no plan Tony…." Ziva said softly.

"But Gibbs, McGee?" Tony stated

"They do not know where you or I are Tony." Ziva's tears finally broke loose and they cascaded down her cheeks. "They do not know where we are."

Seeing Ziva in distress seemed to kick-start something inside Tony, she could feel gears whirring inside his mind as he began to piece together things inside his head.

"Then we are just gonna have to do it without them then aren't we?" Tony said to Ziva giving her one of he crooked smiles.

Ziva just started at the stating man before her blankly, the whole left side of his face was a mess of partially scabbed over burnt flesh and skin, if Tony could have seen himself he would have compared his likeness to '2-face' off the 'Dark Knight'. Tony's body was battered a bruised and cloaked in dry blood. The right side of his face was swollen and bloody giving Tony an almost monstrous appearance. Ziva looked at him more carefully, he deathly white and he was shivering constantly. A trail of blood leaked from one side of his mouth, Ziva noticed that he was now missing both of his little fingers. Tony was still sitting in just his boxer-briefs revealing the extent of the damage that had occurred to his Body.

Open knife wounds plastered Tony's body, some of them were scabbed over some were only just beginning to heal, some of the larger ones had become infected. They were inflamed and angry, pus collected around the wounds making them look even more painful than when Ziva had last seen them.

Ziva also noticed how thin Tony was, she could now see his rib cage protruding from his chest. But the last thing Ziva looked at was his smile, something that no matter what the time, or the circumstances, could always make her heart melt.

Tony's smile sent evil scattering away from Ziva's mind leaving her feeling strong and ready. No matter what happened she would do all that was in her power to protect Tony and not allow any more harm to come to him. She would save him, even if it meant laying down her own life.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Tony flinched as the door swung open and Tzahal strode in, Ziva had quietly filled Tony in on the story only moments before, Tony knew she was keeping something from him and he was about to push for more before he was interrupted by the entrance of Tzahal.

"Ah Miss David," Tzahal smiled "It is good to see you are finally back in my company.

"Yes, good to be reunited again, Tzahal." Ziva watched as the man flinched at the sound of his real name,_ for a mossad officer he is very bad at hiding his emotions _she mused.

Tony looked the man scared about what his reaction might be, instead he just smiled and nodded carefully.

"Good to see you remember Zi," The man stated, Tony was confused why was Tzahal treating Ziva as if he knew her "It has been a long time."

"13 years." Ziva replied

"15 since Morocco," The man added.

Tony's mind was spinning, these two were chatting like old friends, just like Gibbs and Jenny used to. Perhaps? Could Ziva and Tzahal have been lovers? Tony remembered that Tzahal had a wife and a kid but then again Gibbs had been remarried…

"You will pay for what you have done Ziva David." The man snarled. "You will pay for ruining my life and ending the lives of those who were closest to me!" Tzahal was screaming now he rammed the Desert Eagle against Ziva's skull. She blinked but stared on.

Tony's mind was reeling at this latest revelation. Tony knew about Ziva's past as an assassin but he had never really thought about it. Could it of been Ziva who had snuck into the home of somebody in the middle of the night a brutally and mercilessly execute a small child. Could Ziva really have done that? Tony knew she had the skills and abilities but could even a Mossad assassin who had been trained since birth be that heartless?

Ziva sealed her lips shut, she hung her head in shame not wanting to look at the man who was her former partner, the man whose like she had destroyed. Ziva could feel the tears forming in her eyes and she hurriedly blinked them back.

"You took away everything I cared about, everything I loved!" Tzahal grabbed Ziva's hair and ferociously yanked upwards forcing Ziva to look at him. Tzahal let go of her hair and stepped backwards. "And now I will do the same."

Tzahal quickly cut Ziva's hands from the chair, he did the same with Tony before striding out of the basement and the door shut with a heavy clang.

The pair sat in silence for a while, both unsure of what to say.

"Did you kill them?" Tony asked his voice was aas soft as a whisper but the words still stuck in his throat.

"Yes," Ziva hung her head, her hair blocking her face from Tony's gaze "I was under my fathers orders," She continued "He knew of my friendship with Tzahal."

"Where you lovers?" Tony asked, he had to know.

"Yes Tony, when we were in Morocco we were putting our lives in one another hands, it was inevitable."

"Nothing is inevitable Ziva." Tony said simply.

"My father said if I did not kill Tzahal then he would order a hit on Ari's terrorist cell…" Ziva trailed off.

Tony stood up and tried to take a step towards Ziva but his legs buckled and he fell to the floor, he let out a cry of pain and Ziva quickly stood up and rushed over to him.

"Tony, Tony? Are you all right?" She cried desperately shaking him. Her only reply was a horrible raspy cough that seemed to last for an eternity.

"You think I am a monster don't you?" Ziva questioned.

"No, I realise the reasons why you did it and I do not blame you for the way you were raised and how your father forced you to do things…," He muttered "To be honest I don't know who I blame!" Tony sighed

"I am a monster." Ziva muttered

"No Zi……" Tony started before Ziva interrupted him by placing her finger on his lips.

"I deserve to die." She said it like it was the truth.

Tony said nothing instead he just wrapped his uninjured arm around Ziva and brought her close hugging her to his chest. He could feel her tears sliding down his torso but he didn't care.

"I deserve to die Tony," She repeated "I have caused so much pain and misery I spilt the blood of many innocents."

"Yes," Tony shrugged "But you have also brought happiness and joy to the world, think of all the lives you have saved Ziva, think of it as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, you can either be Eli's Ziva the cold hearted assassin or you can be my Ziva, the one who makes me feel like every day is worth living!" Tony said pressing her further into his chest. They sat there for silence for a while Tony feeling comforted by her head resting against his chest and Ziva feeling safe wrapped up in his long arms.

Finally Tony bent down and whispered 5 words that would change both of there lives forever.

"I love you Ziva David."


	20. Set The Fire To The Third Bar

**Hi everybody thank you for all of your kind reviews, **

**The music for this chapter is 'Set The Fire To The Third Bar' by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright. I just thought it fitted the scene very well, anyway I just like the song.**

Chapter 20

Ziva sat there in shock. Tony felt her tense up in his arms, he began to cough again and he could feel the black enveloping him.

Ziva didn't know what to say, then she looked up realising she knew exactly what to say but she had always been to gutless to say it.

"I love you too Tony." Tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Will you do something for me Zi?" Tony asked his voice hoarse.

"Anything" She quickly promised.

"Get out of here," As he said these words Tony subconsciously began to stroke her hair "I know you can fight, get out of here, forget about me, move on find a new life, find somebody you love and be happy."

Ziva was taken aback by Tony's proposal, "I have already found someone who makes me happy." She said simply, "I have found someone that I love, I am not leaving without you Tony."

Tony snorted, an action which caused him to go into a large fit of coughing, "Come on Zi, we both know its unlikely that even if I do get out of here that I am going to live…"

Ziva bit her bottom lip not wanting to accept the truth which lay before her, but she knew with the injuries that Tony had sustained and his past medical history meant that survival was unlikely.

"You will live Tony." She said simply burying her face in his chest.

"Come on Zi face reality!" He snapped "Now you are going to get out of here and leave me to face the inevitable!" He pushed Ziva away from him so he was looking her in the eyes. "Leave me, find a new life, find somebody who will love you just as much as I do."

Ziva hung her head "As if anybody could love this," gesturing her hand up and down her body

Tony gently rubbed his thumb along her cheek "I love it."

Ziva grabbed Tony's hand and squeezed gently "I am going to find a way out of this, for both of us."

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"Got a lead Boss!"

Who knew four words could bring such happiness to Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"What is it McGee?" Gibbs asked

"Whale oil boss." McGee tapped some things into his keyboard and a picture popped up on the plasma.

After seeing Gibbs' expression McGee quickly elaborated "Must have been on the bottom of the kidnappers shoes boss., Only one place in the whole state has had any accusations placed against it of importing whale meat."

"Which is?" Gibbs snapped

"An Icelandic company called urh…Ref..zk..sd….Okay I can't pronounce that!" McGee exclaimed after trying to say the string of 25 or so letters on the screen.

"Then just give me a location!" Gibbs head slapped McGee.

"Urh sorry boss, 1054 31st Street Northwest, Washington." McGee read off the screen.

McGee turned around but Gibbs was already striding towards the elevator car keys in one hand SIG in the other.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

"Stay with me Tony," Ziva whispered her hands interlacing his "You are not leaving me now."

Tony tried to hang on, but he didn't know how much longer he could fight the tentacles of darkness that seemed to envelop him. Everything felt so heavy, he had gone past the stage of pain, now he just felt empty, hollow.

"Ziva, "He croaked "I feel,….I feel cold."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Now you know what it feels like Ziva." Tzahal's voice shocked Ziva and she spun around to see him standing in the door way, his Desert Eagle hanging loosely in his right hand.

Ziva didn't bother answer him instead she just hugged Tony closer to her chest she was aware that his heart rate and breathing had slower down dramatically.

"To know what?" She screamed desperately rocking Tony back and forth trying to get him to wake up from his unconscious slumber.

"To know what?" The man exclaimed "To know what it feels like to loose somebody you love. To loose somebody who you have been waiting for all your life and then to have them cruelly snatched away from you when you finally have a chance of happiness!" Tzahal waved the gun around wildly.

"Please!" Ziva begged "Kill me, I deserve it, just save him!" Ziva couldn't stop the tears that were cascading down her cheeks.

"Ziva, I am sorry you could not realise before that you deserve this, I am also sorry to have to bring an innocent into this. But, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." The man turned heading towards the door.

It slammed shut behind him and Ziva was left alone with Tony.

"Zi?" Ziva hadn't realised Tony had woken up.

"Yes Tony I am here." Ziva stroked Tony's hair trying to soothe him.

"End it Ziva, please stop the pain." A tear was running down Tony's cheek "Make it stop…."

Ziva pressed her head against his chest "I can't Tony, please Tony don't ask…" Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

"Don't act like you don't have the skills Ziva, just kill me Ziva, please, please make it all end." Tony pressed his chin against the top of her head not being able to stop the tears that where cascading down his cheeks.

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Gibbs slammed on the accelerator and McGee was pressed even further into the passenger chair. Gibbs' knuckles were white against the steering wheel. He spun the Dodge down a side alley and McGee's senses were filled with the sound of screeching of wheels and the smell of buring rubber.

"ETA 5 minutes boss!" McGee shouted over towards Gibbs who in answer pressed his foot even further down on the accelerator.

"Make that 4!"

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Ziva traced her hands up to Tony's neck, pressing her fingers against his artery, cutting off the blood supply to the brain.

"I love you Zi," Tony simply stated.

Ziva feeling the tears returning "I love you to Tony." She answered, the pressure against Tony's neck never relented.

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Gibbs and McGee jumped out of the car guns already drawn, they sprinted towards a warehouse that lay centre of the docks. Still running Gibbs shot the padlock off the heavy steel doors.

The doors slid open revealing two men armed with automatic machine guns. Gibbs and McGee dived behind a stake of crates narrowly avoiding the burst of fire that came from one of the men.

Gibbs leaned out and emptied his clip into one of the men, McGee did the same with the other. They stood up and continued running.

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Ziva could feel Tony slipping away in her arms, life slipping away from his grasp, she lifted her head up so she wouldn't have to look at his face, she blinked back the tears.

She heard a burst of machine gun fire but her death grip did not loosen, she had promised Tony. Every second now she felt life leaving the body of the man she loved.

_God forgive me, _She prayed _God forgive me._

**This chapter was inspired by an episode of 'Spooks' I remember watching when I was young. It was a very touching scene but I had trouble writing it, partly because I am trying to do a million other things at the same time! Well that is it for tonight.**

**I will update soon but I still must ask you to review – please,**

**So avid readers, here is a question, when Gibbs and McGee come, is Tony dead or alive?**


	22. No Regrets

**Hi everybody thanks very much for your reviews, song for this chapter is Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.**

Chapter 22

Gibbs was running, one foot in front of another, he sensed that McGee had his six, following his every move.

Gibbs saw a shadow move, he lifted his gun and fired twice, a figure slumped to the floor, Gibbs didn't even bother checking if he was still alive. Just keep running, one foot in front of the other. One foot closer to David, one foot closer to DiNozzo.

The rounded a corner to see an empty storage room, rusted metal chains hung from the ceiling, pools of oil lay on the floor, creating an eerie reflection of the scene around them.

Gibbs stopped running, taking time to assess his surroundings and to reload the clip in his handgun. There! He noticed an a heavy steel door which had been carefully concealed behind a stack of oil drums. Gibbs started to run towards it, McGee following his every move, unaware that they were both being watched.

NCISNCISNCSINCSNCIS.

The door slammed open to Ziva and Tony's cell. Ziva snapped her body around. Could it be help? Could Gibbs have found her? She released the pressure from Tony's neck. He had not moved for several minutes. She felt despair wash over her, she had killed the only man she had ever truly loved only moments before their rescue. She was right, she was a monster.

But it wasn't Gibbs at the door, it was Tzahal. He walked over to her keeping her head steadily in his sights at all times. He looked over to the lifeless body of DiNozzo. And then back to Ziva.

"God, you are a heartless bitch Ziva David!" Tzahal exclaimed "A man declares his love to you and you kill him! Oh very romantic!" The man snapped sarcastically.

Ziva made a lunge for the man but he quickly side stepped, she swung her leg around attempting to catch him in the stomach but after days of ill treatment she was weak and the man blocked the blow easily. At the same time he swung his left fist around catching her square in the jaw, knocking her backwards. He grabbed her and roughly slammed her to the floor. Zip tieing her hands behind her back.

"Move!" He pushed her forward but kept the gun nestled between her shoulder blades, she trudged away, leaving behind the lifeless body of Anthony DiNozzo.

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Gibbs headed towards the door.

"Not another move Agent Gibbs!" A voice rang out, echoing around the storage chamber.

Gibbs spun around on his heel desperately trying to catch a glimpse of his attacker. Then he saw him, holding Ziva in front of him as a human shield. McGee began to raise his gun.

"Don't even think about it Special Agent McGee or Miss David here gets it." Tzahal roughly jabbed Ziva with the weapon. McGee lowered his SIG.

"Now here is my offer, I will give you Special Agent David and I will walk out of here, otherwise we all blow to kingdom come!" The man lifted his left hand revealing a dead man switch.

Gibbs' teeth ground together, he had already survived being blown up once he was not sure that he could repeat the act.

"What about Agent DiNozzo?" McGee called out

No answer

"Give us DiNozzo or no deal!" Gibbs called out.

"Oh you won't be seeing Mr DiNozzo again Agent Gibbs…" The man trailed off.

"What have you done to him!" Gibbs snarled

"What have I done to him?" The man laughed "I have done nothing, it is your prized agent Ziva here who has killed him!"

Gibbs gaze snapped towards Ziva who hung her head in shame.

"Start walking!" Tzahal snarled and jabbed Ziva in the back sending her stumbling forward, towards Gibbs and McGee.

"I am going to do what I should have done a long time ago!" The man snarled he raised the gun towards Ziva's skull.

"Ziva duck!" A voice called out, neither Gibbs' or McGee's.

A man through himself upon tzahal dragging him down, a gunshot went off and then the sickening thud as it entered human flesh.

Ziva spun around, she checked herself, it had not been her who had been hit. She looked at the two bodies laying on the floor, Tzahal was struggling to get up, the second man raised the Desert Eagle and fired, hitting Tzahal square between the eyes. The body slumped. Ziva glanced towards the second man who had blood pouring out of his abdomen.

"Tony!" She gasped, already running towards him.

Tony lay crumpled on the floor, his wound bleeding profusely. Ziva quickly ripped off her top and pressed it against his wound trying to stem the bleeding.

"McGee!" She cried "Call 911!" McGee was already dialing the numbers into his cell phone.

"Tony," she whispered sweeping the hair back from his face, "Tony stay with me."

Ziva was now aware that Gibbs was standing next to her, he leant over pushing his hands on top of Ziva's desperately a

pplying pressure to the wound.

Tony's eyes were fluttering, he was struggling to hold on to consciousness.

"Gibbs?" Tony croaked out, his voice was weak and vulnerable.

"Yeah DiNozzo, I am right here." Gibbs' voice was soft and gentle.

" I am sorry…..sorry…dad." Tony croaked, Gibbs could feel the tears forming in his eyes as he watched his son die before him.

"Zi?" Tony called out

"I am here Tony." Ziva was pushing down on the wound but she could still feel warm, wet blood slide between her fingers.

"No regrets." Tony muttered, he stroked her cheek gently.

"I love you Ziva." Ziva could hear the sirens approaching but she wasn't sure how much longer Tony was going to last, time seemed to slow down before her very eyes.

"I love you too Tony." She answered, it was simple, but it was all he needed. He closed his eyes only to be rudely awoken by a slap on the back of the head.

"Did I tell you, you could die DiNozzo?" Gibbs stated.

"No boss." Tony answered but even as he said these words he felt life slip away from him, he was becoming so sleepy, he was tired of fighting. Ziva was safe, Gibbs would look after her now and McGee would make a great senior field agent.

"No regrets" Tony whispered before laying his head down letting his body go limp allowing the darkness to take him.


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay this is a big thank you for all of you who have reviewed my work, arh R.E exam tomorrow- and no retakes, DAMN! So sorry this gonna be a short update so I can get back to work.**

**Song to accompany this chapter is 'Run' by Snow Patrol, NOT the Leona Lewis version!**

Chapter 23

"Don't die Tony," Ziva whispered, cradling his head in her arms. "Please," She broke down into sobs "PLEASE!"

By now the paramedics they rushed around of him, one of the men leaned down and checked his pulse, Ziva saw him shake his head to the other paramedic. He leaned down and began to commence CPR, thirty compressions followed by two rescue breaths, the other man charged the defibrillator.

The world seemed to be a blur for Ziva, she couldn't focus on anything, the world was black and white, words were a mess.

"Stand back ma'am!" The paramedic shouted at Ziva, Gibbs grabbed her by the arm and her pulled her back, she buried her face into his shoulder and broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

"Clear!" The paddles were placed against his chest and his body arched up and and fell back to the floor with a sickening thud.

The paramedic placed two fingers against his neck. "No pulse!" He called out.

"Clear!" They shocked him again, "No pulse!" The paramedic called out.

McGee stood there is shock, could his tormentor, his friend really be dead. McGee had always viewed him as indestructible always able to shake off any situation he found himself in. Could he really be gone?

Gibbs looked down at the disfigured body of a man before him. Waves of sadness washed over the ex-marine. He should have done something! Anything! Perhaps he could of saved the man he regarded as his son.

Ziva pressed herself into Gibbs, it was her fault, she had killed the only man she had truly loved, her last chance of happiness. She had dragged Tony into this mess and she had murdered him in cold blood. How could she continue to live while she held the knowledge that she had killed her best friend.

The paramedic pressed the paddles down onto Tony's chest, Tony's back arched and he raised up into the air before heavily falling to the floor in a crippled heap.

The medic pressed his fingers against Tony's artery "Got a pulse!" He called out.


	24. Dark Road

**So guys thanks for your reviews, they are always appreciated, I was struggling for song ideas and then the answer came to me in the form of You-tube video, it is 'Dark Road' by Annie Lennox. **

**Arh so I have just finished my R.E exam….an hour ago, now this is committed updating, next exam is my German Oral, we have to have a 'spontaneous' conversation while learning 12 page A5 questions, fun fun fun!**

**So always I ask you to please review, I love reading your thoughts and I am trying to answer them all, if I didn't last time I promise I will next time!**

Chapter 24.

Tony was lost, he couldn't focus on everything, he felt like he was drowning, the world was lost around him, he was just surrounded by black, lost in a whirlpool of confusion and desperation.

He felt something hit him in the chest like a ton of bricks, a surge of energy course through him, but it left as quickly as it came and he was left feeling empty and hollow.

It happened again, same result, Tony was trying to work out was happening, he felt mystified why he couldn't focus on anything why he felt…, why he felt so dead.

Again the mystery force gripped him, this time though it felt like a fish hook had snared him, pulling him upwards out of the water and to the surface, he gasped and his eyes fluttered open, just in time to hear "Got a pulse!" Before his eyes closed again, so this is death he wondered.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Ziva spun around, she saw Tony's eyes open, she rushed over and kneeled beside him grasping his hand, she saw a smile cross his face before he closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

The paramedic's began to work on the gunshot wound, pressing bandages against it to stop the bleeding. They quickly applied airtight bandages in order to stem the bleeding.

"We need to get him to surgery." One of the paramedics declared.

The paramedics worked around him, quickly and professionally strapping him to a gurney before lifting him into the back of the ambulance.

"You know you need to go to the hospital too Ziva," Gibbs murmured in her ear.

"I am fine." Ziva turned at Gibbs a steely complexion resting firmly on her face.

"Come on Ziver, you need looking at!" Gibbs began to push her to the ambulance, she offered no resistance, at least if she was in the ambulance she was with Tony.

Ziva stepped into the back of the vehicle and saw that an oxygen mask had been placed over Tony's mouth, she looked at his expression, he looked peaceful, contented. One of the paramedics pulled out a syringe and injected him with a clear liquid.

Seeing her concern "Painkillers." He murmured. Ziva nodded and the paramedic pressed the needle into Tony's arm and pushed down the end.

The ride to the hospital was a short one, Tony's heart beat had begun to become more erratic and the paramedics were beginning to get anxious, worried that he might slip into cardiac arrest.

The ambulance snaked its way through the D.C traffic sirens blaring, closely followed by a Dodge containing Gibbs and McGee.

When Tony arrived he was immediately rushed straight into surgery leaving Ziva standing alone. She felt the emotions of the past few days wash over her and she instantly began to fell sick, her legs felt weak at the knees and she began to sway.

She felt a comforting hand being placed against her shoulder, she turned around to see Ducky smiling at her.

"Dr…" She said surprised "I did not expect you to be here so fast."

"Yes," He nodded "Gibbs only just called me with the news of Anthony's incident."

"Then how did you get here so fast?" Ziva questioned

"Oh we were already here; Mr Palmer had a mild spot of bother with his diabetes." The ME nodded simply. "Ziva," The old man continued "You really should get yourself seen to by a doctor."

"Not until I know Tony is going to be alright." Ziva said sternly

"Tony will be in surgery several hours."

"Then that is how long I will wait." Ziva nodded simply

It was now that Gibbs and McGee entered the hospital, after seeing them they steadily walked over.

"Ziva, what are ya still doing here?" Gibbs asked "Why aren't you with a doctor?"

"Don't need one." Ziva shrugged.

Gibbs gave her an icy glare, which Ziva returned, the pair continued to glare at one another for several moments. McGee and Ducky began to feel uncomfortable. Finally after what seemed like hours Ziva gave in.

"Fine!" She exclaimed throwing her hands up into the air "I will see a stupid doctor!" She stalked off down one of the hospital isles.

Gibbs watched her go before sitting in an uncomfortable plastic chair. He sighed, he was glad that both Ziva and Tony were safe. He counted all of his agents as his children, he cared about them immensely and he didn't know what he would do if he lost one of them. He pushed his head back against the wall praying to every god that he knew that Tony would pull through.

Gibbs looked up towards the sky, hoping that Shannon and Kelly would be looking down upon him, _You can't have him today._ Gibbs smiled before standing up, needing coffee.

**Alright next update up very soon.**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Dr Benson walked down the isle of the hospital heading towards the small cluster of people who crowded in the waiting room. They seemed to be an interesting bunch, a small elderly man with bow tie who held himself with pride. A overly-hyperactive goth who seemed to be bouncing around the place. A man in turquoise scrubs stood next to the bow tie man, complete with glasses which could only be compared with those of Harry Potter. A geeky looking man stood by the goth, he was wearing a tweed jacket, the doctor could have sworn he recognised him from somewhere, a film, a TV show, a book perhaps? A foreign woman sat on one of the chairs, her clothes were tattered and her olive skin was mucky and grazed, her hair was a mess and her eyes seemed distant, staring onwards. The group was complete by a silver haired man who held himself in the seat with pride. Dr Benson seemed wary of him, the man looked dangerous and intimidating, the silver haired man had piecing blue eyes that seemed to be able to gaze into your soul.

"Family of Agent DiNozzo?" The Doctor called out reading the name of his clip board.

The unusual group turned around to face him, the doctor found himself being examined by 6 sets of eyes. "That's us!" The goth called out.

"And what is your relation to Agent DiNozzo?" Dr Benson asked.

In response six federal badges were whipped out and helped before him, the Doctor grabbed the nearest badge to him to examine closer, it turned out to be the geeky man.

Dr Benson read the ID slowly and then studied the badge _Special Agent Timothy McGee. _He read inside his head _NCIS._

NCIS, he had heard that before on ZNN, something like CSI, but for the Navy? Yes that was it Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the doctor was impressed he could remember.

"Ah I see." The doctor handed back the badge to McGee and then turned to talk to them all "Agent DiNozzo has just left surgery he is in a serious, but stable condition." The doctor heard a sigh of relief.

"What are his injuries doctor?" The bow- tie man asked.

"Agent DiNozzo has sustained many injuries, down the left side of his body he has third degree and in some places such as his forearm forth degree burns, this will mean skin grafting will have to take place. Agent DiNozzo has also lost both of his little fingers just below the knuckle further infection though may mean that further amputation is necessary. Knife wounds have been inflicted upon his back which have become dangerously infected, they will need re-stitching and a course of antibiotics. Several ribs have been broken and others bruised, left eye socket was fractured, Agent DiNozzo has suffered from malnutrition and electrical burns. Also extensive damage has been

done to his lungs, Agent DiNozzo has a serious case of pneumonia and because of the already existing scarring to his lungs it could make treatment difficult. I have put him on a ventilator for now and we will see how things progress" The doctor sighed it was a frighteningly long list. "I also ask you to consider the emotional scarring a experience that Agent DiNozzo has forced to endure might have upon him. I ask that he is kept under close observation for several months.." The doctor trailed off and looked up at the distraught faces of the people who surrounded him.

"Can, can we see him?" The foreign woman asked, her voice was small and the words caught in her throat.

"Yes, he is asleep right now and I ask you only visit in small groups, when he wakes up I do not want him to be surrounded by lots of people. Room 452" The group nodded earnestly.

"Jethro," The bow tie man placed a kind hand upon the silver haired mans shoulder. "You and Ziva visit him, that is who he needs right now, the rest of us will wait here."

The silver haired man nodded "Thanks Duck." He placed a kind arm around the foreign woman and guided her towards ICU guiding her through the maze of people. The doctor watched them go fascinated before he turned and started walking, he had other patients to attend to.

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Ziva let Gibbs take her, she felt hollow and empty as if only the shell of her being was in the hospital, the rest of her had run and hid in a dark corner, wallowing in self pity.

Ziva took in a deep breath, she was Mossad trained, she needed to be strong, for Tony, she needed to rebuild the dam, this time bigger and stronger.

Gibbs continued to lead her through the crowds. They were getting closer to Tony's room, Ziva glanced at the numbers on the doors counting them down slowly, _458.456,454,452. _They stopped, both pausing outside the door scared about what may lay inside. Gibbs reached out for the door handle and gently twisted it, he and Ziva then stepped inside.

The room was quiet, plain, sunlight was already streaming through the windows. On the small bed lay the body of Anthony DiNozzo. Tubes ran out of him leading to different machines. Ziva gasped. Tony's skin was pale and clammy, machines pushed up and down focing Tony's lungs to inhale and exhale. It was a depressing sight and Ziva felt like she was going to be sick.

Nearly all of Tony's body was wrapped up in bandages. She had caused this, Ziva remembered what the doctor had said, third and forth degree burns, they would not heal without serious scarring, Ziva sobbed internally, she had ruined Tony's life she had caused him to be some kind of monster, something that children experienced in nightmares. People would be embarrassed to look at him on the street, Tony's whole life was based around his good looks and charm and she had ruined that.

She had dragged him into something he knew nothing about and then forced him to endure hours upon hours of excruciating pain. All of this was because of her. It was her fault. She didn't deserve to live.

Ziva turned on her heel and ran, ran out of the hospital and kept running, tears were pouring down her face, she didn't care where she was going, she didn't need to know. All she knew was that she needed to die. That is what Tony would want, he would hate her, he would thank her for this.

Ziva kept running, one foot in front of the other, wanting to satisfy her need to die.


	26. Dead To The World

**Okay so I am fully aware I have not updated in yonks, yes I am a terrible person but a lot of stuff has been going on down here at the moment. Maths exam on Monday ahhhhh!**

**In lighter news did anybody see the finale of flashforward- wow. I still can't believe that they cancelled it! Well if you did watch it then the music they were playing at the end during the second blackout is the music for this chapter.**

**Its called **_**'The Funeral by Band of Horses'**_** Seriously recommend it, great song. Well back to the story!**

Chapter 26

Ziva David had been staring at the blank sheet of paper in front of her for nearly half an hour now.

She had decided to write a letter to each member of 'Team Gibbs.' She closed her eyes and sank back into her chair, she was sat in her apartment with only a dim candle for company.

A stack of filled envelopes lay on the table in front of her. She had written to Ducky first, explaining how she had always seen him as a kind grandfather offering her advice and a steady hand when she most needed it. She had ended the letter saying that he should write all of his little stories down, so everybody could read and enjoy them.

Abby was next, the hyperactive goth who no matter what could always lift Ziva's spirits, she told Abby not to mourn, for death was her wish and she welcomed it. She remembered quickly adding a P.S message to the end of the message, explaining how true love could be right in front of your nose, all you had to do was to look hard enough.

McGee was third, he had always been a brother to Ziva and he had never done anything to hurt her. Ziva smiled at the thought of McGee, completely trusting, he would follow her to the end of the world if she asked. She had ended the letter with '_Don't let Tony give you a too harder time, you are a good agent and a good man Timothy McGee and don't you ever forget that.'_

Gibbs – the man who was her surrogate father, the man who was willing to risk everything for her, expecting nothing in return. He was always there, he always had her six, keeping her demons at bay. She had told Gibbs not to blame himself, it was not his fault, she would give Shannon, Kelly and Jenny his love.

And that just left one person, the hardest letter to write, but the one she needed to. She needed him to know it was not his fault and he couldn't have prevented her death, it was her wish, it was the only chance of escape. Ziva began to write, the sound of the pen scratching across the paper was the only sound that filled the lonely apartment.

_Dear Anthony._

_By the time you are reading this I will be long gone. Please, do not ever doubt my love for you Tony, for that was the only thing that kept me sane in this world. It is because that I love you that I am taking my own life. _

_How can I live with myself after what I have done to you? I have ruined your life Tony! You have every right to hate me, I deserve your rage. I wish I could face it but I am a coward. For I know just looking at your face would change my mind – I would not be able to leave you._

_You have only ever shown me kindness and happiness and loyalty. Even after I insulted you and doubted your trust you still came half way round the world to save me. _

_You once told me that the heart wants what the heart wants, I love you Anthony DiNozzo but I do not deserve you. You were my soul mate and my last chance at happiness. All I caused you was pain and grief, I could not live with myself looking at you and seeing the scars that cover your body. The pain that I had caused you, the horrible suffering that I have put you through. You hate me Tony and I cannot live knowing that you do not return my love._

_I will never put you through something like that again, I will never cause you to feel unnecessary pain. You are the most wonderful man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and I would have loved to have stayed and grown old with you but I know I must sacrifice myself for your greater good._

_Promise me that you will find somebody else, someone who you love and who will love you back. Somebody who will never betray you or cause you pain._

_Be happy, for as long as you are, I am._

_Ziva David_

Ziva sighed, the tears were flowing down her cheeks and landing on the page causing the ink to blotch. Ziva hurriedly wiped her eyes and folded the letter and pushed it inside the envelope.

This was it, she closed her eyes. She had explained everything, she had no reason to live anymore ; her biological family were dead to her, her surrogate family mistrusted her. The only man she had fully given her heart to hated her. No, Ziva had no reason to live. She grabbed her coat and began to walk out of the apartment. It had began to rain, the wind howled around her, the streets were deserted, not a soul stalked the avenues of Washington.

Ziva pulled her coat tighter around her, trying to create a barrier against the merciless attacks of the wind. Ziva realised she was barefoot. She could already feel the small rivers caused by the rain gushing between her toes.

Ziva continued walking, she reached a fire escape ladder and slowlu began to climb, being careful not to slip on the slippery rungs.

After a few minutes she stood on the roof of one of the tallest apartment blocks in her area.

She stood alone, dead to the world. She walked towards the edge, took a deep breath in, ready to make the step out to her impending doom.

**Alright I know you hate me for the absence of updates but hey! Please review!**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Ziva David's vision was blurred, tears were running down hear cheeks. The D.C skyline ran together in a melting pot of mild, warming colours.

She closed her eyes, the sound of rushing taxis and drunks stumbling home seemed to melt away, the only sound that remained was that of the rain, as it cascaded down around her.

Ziva opened her eyes to look at the country that had given her so much, the ability to accept that her emotions are not a thing to be scared of, the sense of love, security and family, but most of all the ability to love with all her heart.

But no matter where she went, or how hard she ran, Ziva's past always caught up with her, and she knew that no matter how hard she tried to fight it, it would always find her and cause those that she loved pain and anguish.

A crack of lightning whipped across the sky, illuminating the city in a blinding flash of electrical power, seconds later a roar of deafening thunder boomed across Washington.

Ziva's hair whipped around her face as she slowly took a step out, into the unknown, to a place where her old life would never be able to find her, to a place where she could cause no harm to any body she love.

Ziva felt nothing but air beneath her foot as her leg plunged down into empty space, her body began to follow it, her stomach was left behind and Ziva could see the ground rushing up to meet her.

Suddenly a strong pair of arms secured themselves around her waist and lifted her back up onto the ledge. She was gently laid down onto the gravel which covered the roof.

Ziva opened her eyes to see the infuriated expression of her mentor, boss and surrogate father Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"What the hell are you playing at David?" Gibbs all but screamed at Ziva, the wind whipped at its voice, the rain still plummeted around them.

"Making it go away.." Ziva sobbed, fresh tears were now running down from her face.

"What?" Gibbs asked, his voice softer now.

"Me, I am not going to cause you any more pain, I am not going to hurt him anymore!" Ziva screamed struggling to stand up but Gibbs held her down, Gibbs didn't need clarification on who 'he' was.

"Do you have any idea of what this would do to him huh?" Gibbs shouted.

"It would make him move on and be happy." Ziva quietly replied.

"Bull shit and you know it Ziva!" Gibbs yelled, trying to get his voice above the howling wind and thunder. "He can't live without you! If he found out that you were dead he would bloody well try and end his own life as well!"

"You would stop him." She murmured

"That's what Somalia was Ziva!" Gibbs continued "Tony was going to commit 'death by terrorist' that's why I put McGee on the ground with him, to stop him taking any rash risks! If he hadn't of found you I don't think DiNozzo was planning on coming home, unless it was in a body bag! So don't you dare try and tell me that he would just pick himself up and move on from you Ziva!"

Ziva was silent.

"How could you be so selfish?" Gibbs continued shouting. "Did you not think of what this would do to him, to Abby, Ducky, McGee…Me?" He slammed his hand down next to Ziva's face "Did you even think about us at all?"

"I wrote you letters…" She whispered her voice hoarse and quiet.

"I know!" He shouted, showing a crumpled up envelope, he waved it around in the air before dropping it to the floor. "How do you think that I found you?"

"I am sorry." Ziva sobbed.

"C'mere" Gibbs whispered before pulling her into a tight hug, he held her close to his chest as the rain fell continuously around them and Ziva softly cried to his shirt.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that. But once the rain ceased to fall, Gibbs placed a gentle kiss upon Ziva's forehead before he scooped her up into his arms and carried her down the fire escape to his waiting car below.

Once she was safely inside the protective metal shell of the car Gibbs gently placed a blanket over Ziva's shivering form. He gazed upon her for a moment, her face was still covered with grazes from her ordeal under Tzahal and her face was sullen and pale. Her wet hair stuck to her scalp making her look even more unhealthy than Gibbs had ever seen her before.

"You okay?" He gently asked placing a hand upon her shoulder.

She slowly turned her head to gaze at him with her large, doleful brown eyes, before nodding and returning her head to stare out of the front windscreen.

"Do you want to go see him?" He inquired, she nodded slowly again. "Alright then."

Gibbs then gently lowered himself into the car before turning the ignition and he felt the car roar to life.

He grabbed Ziva's hand and squeezed it gently trying to reassure her before gently pressing down upon the accelerator and taking the both of them to the hospital.


	28. Unconscious Dreams

Chapter 28

_Tony was watching his life flash before his eyes, the image was grainy and the sound was tinny, like an old 70's memoir reel. _

_Tony felt that he was looking down upon himself growing up, first he saw his eighth birthday, he saw himself opening his presents, alone within his parent's living room. His father was in Hong Kong attending business, Tony had been alone for several hours, his mother had gone upstairs for a shower, Tony could here the water running. _

_Tony picked himself and walked up the grand staircase, slowly taking one step at the time. Slowly walking towards the master bedroom, the door creaked open and Tony stumbled in heading towards the en suite. _

"_Mum?" He called_

_No response, so he tentatively called again "Mum?"_

_Tony shakily placed his hand upon the door knob and gently turned, the door swung open and Tony found himself gazing upon a naked heap upon the floor, laying in a pool of blood which was slowly gurgling down the drain._

"_Mum!" Tony screamed and he ran towards his mother. He grabbed her body and cradled it to his chest, hot salty tears streaking down his face._

"_Mum, this isn't funny!" Tony whispered shaking her lifeless body._

"_WAKE UP!" He screamed._

_Tony let out a primal howl._

NCIS NCIS NCISS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Ziva David slowly shuffled down the hospital hallway. Around her nurses and doctors which streamed past all seemed to be a blur. Ziva kept her head down and continued to shuffle, she could feel the presence of Gibbs to her right had felt reassured and safe by it.

She was still soaking from the time spent on the roof and was leaving a trail of water down the hall.

As they neared Tony's room her breathing became quickened and her heart rate soared. Ziva took a few deep breaths in order to try and calm herself down before she reached out with her hand and opened the door to Tony's room.

She stepped inside and was immediately confronted with the smell of sterile equipment and machines.

She cast her gaze to the figure which lay motionless in the middle of the bed, tubes were inserted into him from all angles and a machine in the corner slowly pumped up and down forcing artificial air into Tony's lungs.

Tony's skin was pale and drained and the only sound that filled the room was the automated sound of Tony's heart beat.

Ziva's breath caught in her throat, she could feel the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Gibbs once again placed is hand on Ziva's shoulder, guiding her to the chair by Tony's bed. It was only now that she noticed it was occupied by McGee.

McGee silently stood up, nodding towards Gibbs and Ziva, he then silently left, leaving Gibbs and Ziva alone with Tony.

Ziva quickly sat down in the seat and dragged it closer to Tony's unconscious form, she reached out with her hand, enclosing it around Tony's motionless one. She squeezed it lightly, but it had no response.

It was at this moment that Dr Benson walked in carrying a clip board. Both special agents gazes snapped around to meet his.

"Hello Doctor." Ziva whispered and Gibbs nodded.

"Good Morning," The doctor walked towards Tony's bed.

"What's his condition Doc?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, we put him into a drug induced coma which he has not woken up from, the drugs have passed through his system and we can't explain why he has not woken up, we have him booked into an MRI scan later this afternoon, but really it's up to him whether or not he wakes up."

"Why would he not want to wake up?" Ziva choked.

"Well," The doctor replied "Agent DiNozzo has been forced to live through horrific conditions so this could be his body's survival method, to close off and try and protect itself. But Agent DiNozzo's whole life has been turned upside down, because of his injuries I am sure that he will never be able to do field work ever again and it is up to your Director whether or not to keep him on a desk worker, also if he is going to gain any control back over his left arm it is going to be a long, slow and painful jouney using physical therapy and even after all that Agent DiNozzo will never have the same amount of control that he had before. Also from my experiences with previous cases, patients are full of self loathing and self hate. Really its all up to him now."

With this the doctor left, promising to be back in a few hours to check Tony's vitals.

Ziva turned his attention back to Tony, she grasped his hand firmly, praying for some kind of response, but there was none.

"Please Tony," She whispered "Please, come back to me."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

_Tony was nine, it was exactly a year since his mothers death, his father had gone out drinking, leaving Tony alone in the house. _

_Tony heard the front door boom open, and a smash as the ornate oriental vase which was kept near the door crashed to the ground._

_Tony stood up and turned around to see his father stagger in, blind drunk._

"_It's your fault!" His father screamed, his voice slurring, clumps of salvia flying everywhere._

"_Dad?" Tony questioned._

"_It's your fault that she's dead!" His father howled, Anthony DiNozzo Senior's hand then connected with Tony's face, sending Tony flying backwards._

_Senior then drew back to strike again, "It's your fault!"_

"_Dad, please stop!" Tony cried, tears running down his face, his voice was hitched as it caught in his throat._

_Senior punched him again._

_And again,_

_And again._

_Until Tony's face was a mass of twisted, bruised and bloody warped flesh. _

"_You pushed her and pushed her until its to much! You killed her!" Senior screamed and brought his fist crashing down upon Tony's temple, then everything went black for Anthony DiNozzo Junior. _

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Ziva could see Tony's eyes moving beneath his eye lids, she stroked his hand lightly, hoping that whatever he was dreaming about was not a nightmare.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

_The images then seemed to speed up for Tony, he saw his life in college, how he lost his scholarship due to a knee injury, then how he went into law enforcement, he saw himself fail to react in time as a scared drug dealer pulled a pistol out of a waist band and shot Tony in the lower back._

_Then his time in Baltimore as he slowly worked his way up through the Italian Mafia, being undercover for almost a year and a half before finally busting the group and sending the main leaders to jail._

_Then finally his time at NCIS, working under Gibbs, first meeting Kate on Air Force One. Getting the plague, Kate's death, when he first met Ziva and their time undercover as assassins. When Gibbs was caught in an explosion and left more Mexico leaving the team under his command. When Ziva failed to come to him about her trouble with the Iranians, when he first told Jeanne that he loved her, and when he had to tell Jeanne that 'none of it was real'. When he found Jenny dead and when Vance split up the team, when he was stuck on the ship for month upon month._

_When he first saw Ziva's face again, when he first learned about Micheal and that fateful night at Ziva's apartment when he shot Rivkin in the chest four times, when Ziva confronted him in Tel Aviv and that long, lonely plane ride home._

_The months of thinking that she was dead, seeing no reason to continue living anymore, then when they were in Somailia, the bag was ripped off her head and he found himself gazing into her beautiful brown eyes. _

_Then to his time in imprisonment under Tzahal, when he first told Ziva that he loved her and he knew that she returned the feelings for him._

_The Tony saw his future, a life with Ziva, they would both come home from NCIS headquarters to a large house they shared. A few months later Tony would propose to Ziva and she would accept and they would be wed. Then Tony flash-forward 10 years to when him and Ziva were walking through one of the many parks in D.C, accompanied by two children, a boy and a girl. All four of them were laughing and smiling._

_Tony knew this was the future he wanted and he knew the person that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with._

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Ziva could see Tony's eyes speed up behind his eyelids, and the heart machine in the corner began to beep erratically.

Ziva gripped Tony's hand tighter, trying to assure him sub- consciously that everything was alright.

Then Anthony DiNozzo Junior opened his eyes.


	29. Chapter 29

**Okay everybody I am kinda disappointed with the amount of reviews I am getting, like for the last chapter I thin I got like one? Well anyway this is going to be the last chapter in the story but a squel will come out. So keep your eyes peeled! **

Chapter 29

"Tony," Ziva gently whispered, she gently caressed his hand with her thumb. With her spare hand she reached up and stroked his cheek, being careful to avoid the bandaged wounds which covered the left side of his face.

Tony felt like he was choking, the tube down his throat felt like it was burning.

Ziva could see that he was struggling.

"Do you want it out?" She asked

Tony quickly nodded, "Oka," Ziva replied "On three I need you to cough, one , two, three."

On three Tony violently coughed and Ziva quickly withdrew the pipe and Tony relaxed back down onto the pillows.

"Hey Zi." Tony croaked, his voice hoarse.

"I'm just going to get the doctor." Gibbs said before stepping outside, leaving Tony and Ziva alone.

"How long have I been out?" Tony asked.

"3 days," Ziva replied "Don't ever pull a stunt like that again Anthony DiNozzo!"

"Like What?"

"You took a bullet for me.."

"And I would do it again." He replied never missing a beat.

"Why?" Ziva asked tears streaming down her cheeks, "Why would you do that?"

"Because your worth it." Now Tony raised his hand to and wiped away the tears. Ziva grasped Tony's hand and gently kissed each one of Tony's fingers, her lips gently brushing against the bandaged stump of his little finger.

"I love you." Tony whispered

"I love you too," Ziva said clasping Tony's hand between both of hers "so much."

Dr Benson strode in, closely followed by Gibbs, he was quickly next to Tony's bed shining a light into Tony's hazel eyes.

"Yes Doctor," Tony smirked "My name is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo and I work with Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the President is Barack Obama."

"Who removed his windpipe?" Dr Benson angrily demanded.

"That was me." Ziva said stepping forward.

"And why would you do that?" Dr Benson demanded.

"Because it was hurting him!" She angrily retorted.

Dr Benson nodded, then turned his attention back to Tony "I still have to ask you to come with me for a MRI scan.

Dr Benson wheeled Tony's bed away heading down the corridor and into a different ward.

Ziva and Gibbs were alone in the room, they stood in silence for a short while before Gibbs finally broke it.

"I've spoken to the SecNav."

"Yeah?" Ziva whispered.

"DiNozzo's burns means that he will never be able to return to field work, but Vance has offered him desk work as an option if he can gain some kind of control over his hands again."

"The breath in Ziva's throat caught, field work meant everything to Tony, it was his life, he loved it. Ziva couldn't imagine Tony without a shoulder holster, a NCIS badge on his belt and a standard issue NCIS baseball cap securely on his head.

"Ziver?" Gibbs gently whispered.

"Yeah." She replied

"It's going to be alright."

"How Gibbs?" She shouted "How is this all going to be alright?"

"It just will be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Someone has to be." He replied honestly.

"I love him Gibbs." She whispered

"I know." He replied

"Are you angry?"

"Why would I be?"

"Rule 12"

"Never date a co-worker." Gibbs recited back to Ziva

"Gibbs, I love him, and I fully intend to break the rule and I don't care if it means that I loose my job, I am not going to loose him, not again."

"Zi," Gibbs gently whispered "Tony isn't going to be your co-worker anymore he can't remain on the MCRT team."

Ziva hung her head, they were silent for a moment.

"What?" Tony's voice broke the quiet. Both agents whipped around to find Tony sat in a wheelchair being pushed by Dr Benson.

Tony's face was a mess of confusion and betrayal.

"Tony," Ziva whispered she took a step towards him. Dr Benson helped lift Tony into the bed, he then reconnected the IV line.

"What did you mean Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"Tony," Ziva gently whispered stroking his hair gently with her hand "Your injuries mean that you cannot return to a MCRT."

"Oh well," Tony grinned "Guess I am just going to have to accept that job offer in Rota huh?"

Ziva's brow thou roughed, Gibbs then quietly said " Tony, you can never return to field work."

Tony blinked a few times, "Can I come back to NCIS?"

Gibbs nodded slowly "SecNav has agreed that if you gain some control back over your left arm then he will offer you a desk position."

"A desk jockey?" Tony slammed his hand into the bed "17 years in law enforcement and 10 years in NCIS and this is how I get treated, thrown scraps!"

"Shh Tony." Ziva gently mopped his brow, Tony buried his face into Ziva's chest, she wrapped her arms around his head, cradling it.

"I need to go oversee the new investigation." Gibbs said heading towards the exit

"What investigation?" Ziva asked.

"Into Vance's murder." Gibbs replied.

"He's dead?" Tony spluttered.

"Yeah, shot through the head when you two were held captive." With this Gibbs turned and left leaving Tony and Ziva alone.

"Budge over." Ziva whispered climbing onto Tony's bed being careful not to disturb the IV line.

Tony gently lifted his right arm and he pulled Ziva in closer and held to her tightly, scared to ever let her go.

Tony leaned down and slowly started to hum the Israeli nursery rhyme that had helped get through captivity.

Ziva turned her head, capturing Tony's lips with hers, the kiss was slow and romantic, but earth moving, like lava across land, it was earth shifting, mind shattering.

Ziva broke away and closed her eyes.

"I love you." She whispered

"I love you too." He replied "Forever and ever."

"Forever and ever." She whispered back, she then recaptured his lips with hers.

Maybe things could be alright after all.

**Hi guys thank you for reading my story and please look out for the sequel '**_**BETRAYL' **_**So please leave your lovely reviews which are always appreciated and I hope to see you with a new story very soon, I would like to thank all those who have followed me since the beginning!**

**Adios Amigos! **


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